The Creation of Nothing
by INeedADifferentName
Summary: The Digital World is collapsing once more. All is not what it seems in the world that has absorbed something beyond imagination. The heroes of this story face their worst enemies yet, while dealing with hidden secrets of their own. Can they save the Digital World before it turns to nothing? Seasons 02 x 04 crossover. On Temporary Hiatus, don't know when it'll be back.
1. Prologue

**I'd like to comment on something, before anyone decides to dive into the story. I do not, in any way, _OWN_ Digimon or any of the characters, settings, themes or plots originally introduced in the Anime/Manga. Although any characters, settings, plots or themes that are _NOT_ in the Anime/Manga or in any endorsement, are obviously mine. Thank You! **

**Also, I'll be updating this prologue every now and than (depends on how far the story is) to keep everyone up with what's happening. I won't be updating it frequently, or even occasionally to prevent spoilers, but I will do so, nonetheless. Thank you for taking your time to read this FanFic. I'm extremely grateful for the effort you all will make!**

* * *

**Introduction**

_It has been four years since the Digidestined defeated the powerful and corruptive child that was Lucemon and his band of evil minions. Though the time between the Digital World and the Real World has been restored, many things have changed within the recent years that have passed. _

_Even more so, as the Warrior children, due to their inability to return to the Digital World since that fateful day, have been missing, another chaos seems to have loomed over the mysterious plane. _

_Ignorant of the chaos that surrounds their once second home, these same children face another threat that comes not just for the digital planet, but as well ventures deep into the roots of their world too. _

_Along with all the chaos caused by the mashing of the phantasmagoric dimensions that separated all the worlds apart, this same corruption has opened a new gate into an unknown realm._

_Soon the children warriors of the elements will have to return to the Digital World to face this new threat, but will their combine strength really be enough to defeat an even tougher opponent than Lucemon?_

_Find out within this story of Digimon: Digital Monsters!_

* * *

**Prologue**

In the far reaches of nowhere, where the stars fell and the planets coursed through the heavens in spherical ellipses, emerged a creature of vacant form, twisting and forming the realms to his pleasures. His presence alone, bended the milieu, causing a distortion, of sorts, while thwarting off the balance that once held the worlds together.

The creature gazed upon his world, from a pedestal on high; manipulating and controlling the destinies of many, to his will. He allotted the kings of the fraternal worlds, a disposition of common status— a wealth of power and might. He then charged the blameless and meek a dishonorable task, of taking the lives of others for compensation of their worth- this governance being the key to his victory, and his world's demise.

"Excellent," he whispered deeply, his voice echoing through the vortex of flurry and corruption, that was around him. "It's only a matter of time before the dimensions bend to my will, and soon all shall' turn to nothing." He cried a terrible laugh, moving the celestial bodies that elapsed before him.

The creature moved his finger in a circular motion, atop an orb, and began chanting words. His speech caused the surroundings to violently shake, which sent the celestial bodies careening to other parts of space. Soon, afterwards, his chanting stopped, and from the orb before him, a light emitted strongly, swallowing a fourth of the darkness around. The light soon wavered high and low, forming into a tiny ball, and then, simply vanished into thin air.

"Good," he whispered once more. He then proceeded to move his hands up, while screaming, his rage filling the entire atmosphere around him. "Rise, my servants, rise and take form," he shouted. From his voice's command, emerged four lifeless bodies who took the appearance of several of the stars around them, then ensued to hold them in his hands.

The creature then tapped the foreheads of the four bodies, releasing a surge of energy, which shot through the space around him. He smiled, a crooked grin, before releasing the four hosts into the unfilled air. The energy that was previously directionless, soon found targets, and shot for them, piercing the empty vessels' through their hearts.

The four monsters moaned and moved, as the energy awakened them from their slumber. "Awaken now," the creature whispered, causing the other fiends to focus to his direction. "For the time of destruction draws near."

The four fiends motioned themselves to his position, none saying a word. "Look below you," the creature pointed. The four fiends stared below, and saw themselves floating above a blue-green world filled with life and vitality.

"It is there," he began," where you shall' fulfill your destinies. Now go," he motioned them, "and bring to me, the heart of the world." He slid his hand through the air, in command for them to obey. The four fiends nodded their heads, and proceeded to enter the world before them, vanishing quickly, before the celestial bodies could retake their place back in their eternal relapse.

"Do not fail me, my loyal friends…," the voice hissed into the space once more, before fading away to nothing.

* * *

**I don't really have much to say down here, since it's just the prologue. Although, I will state this: even though this part may be a prologue, I'll also be adding in summaries and footnotes (_not spoilers, so don't worry_) to keep everyone up-to-date. **

**If you have any questions, comments or opinions let me know by PM or review. **

**Recommendations: I am updating this, in response to some popular chapters. Since, I have officially wrote an actual chapter books length (roughly 150 - 160 pages), I will post the chapters that are most popular, in case anyone wants to skip the boring blah blah ones. Chapters 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 are the most popular ones. 6 is good too, along with 7, maybe. 5 (titled Never Ending) is probably the most popular, based on the graph in my account, and the PMs for it.**

**Just going to BS this: Skip to like chapter 12 and forward if you want the crossover, because before that, it's all season 04. **


	2. Contemplation

**Okay, so this is my official hello to everyone. I'd like to first start off by stating that this is my first ever FanFiction writing! I have done freelance and creative writing so my language skills aren't to shabby, but this is my first time actually publishing any work to the public. Though it's just FanFiction, I still immensely appreciate the opportunity.**  
**Also bare with me if there are any grammatical, spelling or other odd occurrences that are oblivious to me right now. I'll be sure to correct such mistakes in the future. As for now, I just wanted to post this to get a general overview of what others think.**

**Any who... I'll be done talking and enjoy my first chapter of Digimon: Digital Monsters!**

* * *

The Beginning of Nothing

**-Takuya's House-April 3rd-3:38 A.M.**

It was a little past four in the morning when Takuya looked out his apartment window. He just couldn't seem to sleep. He had been tossing and turning all night, not being able to take the final moments of his past from his mind.

Four years have passed since his departure from the Digital World, and that meant four years since he's seen both Bokomon and Neemon, and for that matter, any other digimon. It all seemed so strange to him.

Takuya ran a few more thoughts in his head before climbing off his bed and putting on his slippers.

"Man, why can't I sleep?" he said to himself. "It's not like thinking about the past is going change anything." He scratched his head in annoyance and headed for the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, Takuya searched the walls using his hands only, being careful so as not to trip on anything in the darkness. "Aha," he silently shouted, "Here you are you little—whoa," he yelped before crashing down to the floor. "What the—," was all he said before realizing what had tripped him. It was his little brother, Shinya.

Takuya picked himself up while rubbing the back of his head, which had taken most of the falls impact. "Ugh, now my head is gonna hurt for a week, and what's Shinya doing sleeping in the middle of the kitchen?" He gazed at what seemed to be the small version of him, considering Shinya looked so much like his older brother.

Takuya blinked a few more times, trying to make certain it was his little brother on the floor and not his mind playing tricks on him, before finally deciding to wake his brother up. "Hey, Shinya," Takuya said, while shaking his little brother.

"Mmm…," was all that Shinya managed to say before a yawn ceased him. "Go away Takuya, can't you see I'm sleeping." He yawned for a few more seconds, and then opened his eyes only to find himself looking at Takuya square in the eyes. "What?" his younger brother questioned.

"You do realize you're sleeping on the kitchen floor, right," his older brother happily exclaimed while holding himself back from laughing at the situation.

"What!" Shinya shouted, before quickly rising from his current position. "Where am I?" he openly questioned, while scanning the room he was in.

Takuya stared at his younger brother astonished at his stupidity. "Weren't you paying attention to what I was just saying," Takuya angrily whispered, careful not to make too much noise so as not to wake his parents. "And lower your voice Shinya, you'll wake up mom and dad." He sighed for a couple of seconds and then helped his little brother up from his spot.

As Takuya and his little brother made their way to Shinya's bedroom, Shinya stopped to gaze directly at his brother's eyes.

"What is it, little buddy?" Takuya questioned.

"Nothing, just… well I was wondering. What was I doing on the floor?" He paused for a second before continuing again, "The last thing I remember was falling asleep in my own bed."

"How should I know?" Takuya admitted, "I just came into the kitchen and there you were," he whispered, being careful to leave out the tiny fact of him tripping over his little brother.

"That's strange. Did you put me there Takuya?" questioned his little brother.

"Shinya," he began, "why on Earth would I have a reason to drag you out of your bed, shove you all the way to the kitchen and then suddenly wake you up?" He couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose, a habit he noticed, he had acquired recently.

"Well I don't know, maybe to tease me or something."

Takuya sighed. He knew his brother sometimes got on his nerves, but today he was pushing it a little farther. Especially considering that he was tired from not having any rest that night. "Look Shinya," he whispered bitterly, tired of dealing with his little brother, "I'm not teasing you. Anyways, go on back to bed. We'll talk about this another time." He nodded his head –to the left and right a few times- before looking at Shinya sternly in the eyes, making sure his little brother got the point.

"Fine," retorted Shinya in an angry tone. "Whatever, it's not like you care about me anyways." With that, while making sure he got the last say in it, he quickly made his way to his own bedroom.

Takuya knew he had been a little rough on his brother, especially lately ever since they both received separate bedrooms. But he simply couldn't help but feel the need to sometimes be stern with Shinya. Considering that Shinya was finally entering his teenage years.

"Ahh," he sighed once more, something else he noticed he'd been doing more frequently. "Well this has been one hell of an early morning." He shook his head a little before resuming what he originally came to the kitchen to do— grab an early breakfast.

Takuya reached out of the top shelf cabinet and grabbed a cereal box that read _On'Os_, placing the box on the counter island top. As he was ready to pour cereal into a an empty bowl that he pulled out from under the island cabinet he heard a voice call out to him,

"Takuya honey, is that you?" The voice sounded like it came from a woman.

"Yea mom, it's me, just grabbing an early breakfast." He looked at the empty bowl sitting in front of him for a few seconds before finally regretting his decision. "On second thought, I'm not going to eat anything". He spoke onto the still night, but heard no voice respond. He figured his mother had gone back to sleep. He put the bowl and cereal box away, before heading back into his room.

After entering his bedroom, Takuya rummaged through a few books stacked on top of his desk before deciding he wasn't interested in reading either. He pondered around a little more, before finally allowing himself to lean his back against the bedroom door, while cradling his head between his hands.

"_What's wrong with me?_" he thought_, "I haven't been feeling myself lately. I don't want to hang out with my friends, I don't want to play sports, I can't even get along with Shinya… Heck, I don't even have a strong appetite anymore. It's as if I lost all motivation or something? Maybe I'm just tired… yea that's it… I'm just tired." _Takuya contemplated with his thoughts for a little longer before finally convincing himself to go back to bed. As he pulled the covers over himself, he let out another long sigh. "It'll be another day tomorrow", he spoke aloud drowsily, before finally closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**-Takuya's House-April 3rd-8:30 A.M.**

Craw-craw, a few birds could be heard from a distance.

"Hmm, what the?" Takuya awoke from his slumber only to find out the time on his alarm clock.

"8:30! Oh man, I'm late for school! Why do these kinds of things always happen to me?" He jumped from his bed and quickly put on the clothes ironed by his mother the previous night. He shoved his sporting gear and homework inside his backpack before sprinting out of his room.

"Takuya, honey wait!" His mom called out to him as Takuya rushed to the front door.

He stopped to ask, "Mom what is it? I'm kind of in hurry you know," he allowed himself a few moments before rethinking that. "Sorry mom, didn't mean it that way, it's just that I'm late for school and Mr. Kent said I'd be kicked from the soccer team if I kept failing first period, and you know how Ms. Kaiou is." He stated his sentence nervously hoping to be given the green light to go.

"Very well young man, but don't let me catch you speaking out of line again." She flipped her long brown hair to the left before speaking again. "Any who, I just called your name to remind you not to forget that today is your little brother's birthday. So be back before five okay?"

"Uh yea, sure mom" Takuya said readily, before dashing out the apartment complex. "_Man I've got to stop coming late to first period. One letter grade knocked off from English and I might as well say good-bye to soccer," _he thought to himself while rushing to his auto. While rummaging through the pockets on his pants, he accidently dropped his backpack, unfortunately, causing all his materials to drop out onto the driveway's pavement.

Takuya couldn't believe the luck he was having today. "Arghh!" he screamed. "What's up with today, first I can't sleep, and then I wake up late and now this?" he roared onto the wide open air, thankful that he lived in an apartment building so his parents couldn't hear him.

A few minutes had passed, before Takuya was finally able to compose himself. He picked up his books from the dry pavement and placed them neatly in his backpack and allowed himself into the automobile that was soon to become his on his 16th birthday.

"Man I hope today isn't as bad as this morning," Takuya groaned in the car while driving to Heightonview High School.

Little did he know what was in store for him later that day...

* * *

**Okay so I haven't actually planned how I'd be doing this yet, but I'll try to upload at least a chapter a week (although I'll see if I can squeeze in two a week). Also, I'd like to ask whether this is a good beginning or not? I admit I am new to this whole publishing business, so any reviews on my mistakes, critiques or general knowledge on the know-how is greatly and wonderfully appreciated!**

**Please don't forget to review! Tell me what you'd like me to add, or which character's to focus on first in the beginning chapters. I already have a set plot, setting and theme so I'll work around those to fit in the ideas. I hope your reviews help me flesh this story out.**


	3. Hidden Feelings and Hopeful Expectations

Thank you everyone for taking you time to read this FanFic. This is Chapter 3, technically, but Chapter 2, story-wise, since the first chapter is just the prologue. Which on that note, I'm going to extend the prologue in the future, but only once I've seeded some roots onto the story so as not to create any spoilers. Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Also, if you have the time, be sure to read the footnotes, I usually have some updates there and junk.

* * *

**-Heightonview High School-April 3rd-8:54 A.M.**

The sun was shining with its luminance today, allowing the kids to feel its warmth and invigoration. It was a time of prosperity, jubilance and general good mirth for those whose days were starting out great; and no one was as excited for it as JP Shibayama. He knew today was going to be great. He had a restful sleep, his grades were excellent in school and he knew that by this time tomorrow, he would be hearing about the good merit his test results reared in for the school.

As the student body president for the Heightonview Newspaper Inquiry School Publishing Paper House, he knew that his face would shine even more as all the fame would achieve him a position in Seniors Honor Roll. Although, he knew very well not to let all this general happiness get to his head, especially with a friend like—

"I'm here!" spoke aloud a boy, about above average stature, good physique, an astonishingly handsome face and the rather annoying fact of sappiness and blankness that he was sure was printed on his mug.

JP looked at the boy curiously, what with his astonishing fashion sense. The boy seemed to be wearing black blazer pants, a red T-shirt and a black leather jacket that matched his, as JP thought, "army-styled- black boots that were probably half-a-size too small for him.

"Oh…," JP groaned. "Doesn't he know he's supposed to be wearing his uniform today? It's barely 8:55 and already he's starting some mischief." He couldn't help but lower himself slightly below his desk; somewhat fore-warningly embarrassed of the position his friend might put him in.

"Relax JP."

JP turned around, and to his amusement, found himself staring at a pretty blonde girl with soft features, who seemed to be wearing the school's girl uniform attire of: a blue velvet blazer, white skirt and a matching pair of shoes. "Oh hey Zo," he stated in an exasperated manner.

They exchanged a few glances between each other, thank back at their friend – who was currently being shouted at by their loyal English teacher, Ms. Kaiou – and then back at each other, before one of them spoke up.

"Don't worry about Takuya, JP." She poked her two index fingers together a few times before continuing. "Takuya wouldn't be Takuya if he didn't mess up every once in a while. Besides, you know how he is. Takuya always has some way of charming himself out of any stupid situation he gets himself into."

JP stared at her for a few more seconds before allowing himself to be convinced that his friend would get himself out of this. "All right Zo. If you say so," he replied with a rather soft tone. Though he knew that Zoe was only trying to cheer him up, he couldn't help but feel a little out-casted by her remark.

It was true that he still had feelings for her ever since they arrived back home from the Digital World four years ago. But he couldn't help but feel that Zoe paid more attention to Takuya, than she did for him.

JP was in deep thought about the situation, then his focus was interrupted by a rather loud, nasally voice.

"JP Shibayama!" shouted a rather angry voice.

"Huh, what?" JP looked about his classroom, trying to determine where the voice came from.

"Mr. Shibayama," spoke the voice once more.

"Oh, Ms. Kaiou, um… sorry about that. I was lost in my thoughts for a minute there," he stated nervously. He had, blatantly, ascertained the voice to be his teacher's.

"Never mind that, I need you to take Mr. Kanbara here to OSC for detention."

JP thought he saw, what looked like to be fumes coming out of her nose. It reminded him of when Bokomon use to get angry at Takuya. How he missed the Digital World.

"Mr. Shibayama, are you paying attention?" asked his teacher.

"Ah," said JP, interrupted from his thoughts once more. "Right," he quickly stated, careful not to make his teacher angrier than she was already. "But um, I do have one question Ms. Kaiou, if I may?"

"Very well," she spoke in a condescending manner, while still holding on to Takuya by the shoulder, being careful not to let him go.

"Well, you see, isn't the state exams today?" he began, "and well I was thinking…" he started to get nervous, scratching the back of his head, like as if all his thoughts would become more clear by doing that.

"Out with it, Mr. Shibayama," she barked.

She seemed to be calling his last name more than once today. Never once had he'd been called out by his last name so many times in one day, while in school, and he made a mental note to let Takuya know the same.

"Well," he began once more, "if Takuya doesn't… um… at least take the state exams today, won't the schools merit points suffer in the process?" he cringed his eyes shut, afraid of a terrible comment he was sure, was coming his way.

"Hmm… well I do suppose that's true". She looked at Takuya, who seemed to have towered over her, straight in the eyes, before looking back at the classroom and continuing. "Very well, Mr. Kanbara may stay to do his test," she spoke aloud, "but he should be lucky Mr. Shibayama was here to remind me of that. No use in allowing a student to fail my class, not matter how horrible she… or _he_ may be".

"_There it was again_," JP thought, "_my name being called again_." Shoving the thought aside, he focused his thoughts on the current situation. JP knew the exact reason as to why his teacher was allowing Takuya to stay. Even though his teacher didn't like admitting it, Takuya was among the top twenty students who boosted the high school's merit points by a margin over competing schools. Also, even though JP himself didn't like to admit either, he knew his friend was intelligent, despite his often carefree, and frankly, stupid ways. Something he sometimes took for granted.

"Take your seat Mr. Kanbara, class is about to commence."

JP heard his teacher say. He looked at Takuya once more, taking in the thumbs up and goofy grin his friend was shooting his way, before letting out a sigh and using his left hand to help him nod his head – left and right – a couple of times.

_"What am I going to do with you, Takuya?"_ he thought, _"guess I'll just have to keep saving your butt from the stupid things you do. It's the least I can do I suppose. After what you did for me...," _he began to drift off to memory lane but then was interrupted by a stack of papers being slammed down on his desk.

"Don't fail this, kay."

He looked up to see a spunky girl, who seemed to be wearing braids to tie back her long auburn hair. He instantly recognized her.

"Thanks Amora. I'll be sure to pull the school's points up some, but don't count on me only." He switched his gaze towards the direction of both Takuya and Zoe, who seem to be in the middle of a conversation.

"Oh right, I forgot about Ms. Princess and her boyfriend," she stated in a nonchalant voice. "Well see you after class," she waved to him, before continuing to pass out the test packets.

_"Boyfriend…,"_ JP pondered_. "They aren't…"_ his thoughts drifted_. "Oh no, don't tell me they're tog—," _his own thoughts let out an inward scream of hopelessness and despair. JP knew his face had gone pale because the next thing he knew, he saw two faces staring right at him.

"You okay, buddy?" his friend Takuya had asked.

"Yea, you look like you just saw a ghost or something."

Zoe looked at him, making sure not let his eyes lose connection with hers. This made him uneasy. "No, I'm fine you guys really," he croaked, while using both his hands to shield his face from further embarrassment.

"You sure?" Takuya asked once more.

"Yea, positive," JP stammered for a bit. "I was just thinking about something and it made me kind of uneasy. That's all. But now I'm fine, really." He let out a soft laugh to reassure his friends.

"Okay, whatever you say, bu-ddy," Takuya replied. "We better get back Zoe, before Ms. Kaiou over there loses her marbles again."

JP saw where Takuya was pointing, followed by several hypothetical loops his friend was making by using his index finger, next to his own head.

"Mr. Kanbara and Ms. Orimoto, take your seats and begin your tests, lest' you both want to be sent to OSC!" Ms. Kaiou shouted to the both of them.

"Yikes! There she goes. Well see ya' after class JP. Don't get to nervous while doing your test."

"Yea, you are the school's shining mascot!" Zoe commented after Takuya, while the both were heading back to their own seats.

JP knew Zoe was exaggerating on the mascot thing, but he was sure glad to have such supportive friends; no matter how hard, at times, they made life for him. He breathed in-and-out several times before finally looking down at his own test papers.

"Okay then. Here we go. Time to begin championing my parade". JP smiled at his own thoughts, thinking to himself how clever they were. He then began the moment that would soon be his downfall.

* * *

**-Heightonview High School-April 3rd-10:23 A.M.**

Zoe looked at the clock above her head. It read 10:23. She then looked at the paper that rested directly before her, poking through its contents, before lazing her eyes back and forth between the classroom walls.

Zoe, like her all her friends that returned from the Digital World, have become more attuned with the world around them. They are more proactive, alert, assertive and, frankly speaking, much more intelligent. She knew this when; she kept receiving As and some Bs on all her classes since her return. Something she's used to by this time around; which is why she sat in her seat, looking around to find something to do in her state of boredom.

That's when she saw it. "What the—," was all she said before she realized a maniacal looking boy trying to toss her, what looked to be, a paper crane.

She hid her face using her right arm, trying to conceal the red streaks that appeared on her face. _"What's he trying to do? Get me in trouble?" _she thought.

"Pss."

She heard a whisper coming from, what she was sure to be Takuya's direction. She took a peek from under hers arms, which she was currently using to bury her face.

"Pss," the voice whispered again.

Her eyes grew wide. She knew it. It was Takuya. Only he would do something as stupid as try to speak to her during the middle of state testing_. "Ignore him Zoe,"_ she began to think to herself, _"he's an idiot, and you're not about to let him ruin your perfect score in class." _She tightened her hands into a fist and buried her head into her arms for comfort.

"Pssss," the voice grew slightly louder and longer.

Zoe jerked her head to the left, catching Takuya's gaze which seemed to be looking at her. She saw him mouth what looked like he was trying to say, "I'm bored." She mouthed back at him, "I don't care," while punching her right fist into the palm of her other hand. She then made a gesture of pressing her index finger to her lips in the form of saying, "Shh".

She stared at him for another few seconds, glaring at him until he got the point. He must have, because she then saw him lay back down on his desk without so much as make another breathing noise. She figured Takuya would finish his test early like her, and by the looks of it, as well JP. It was amazing how accelerated their minds were. Not like she boasted or anything, but she was grateful to have be able to achieve higher grades in school now.

Plop, a sound came from the bottom of her desk. Zoe focused her attention to her teacher, Ms Kaiou, before finally looking down to see what had made the sound. It was the paper crane; she was sure she saw Takuya make earlier. That made her slightly mad. She looked up to say something, but before she could, she saw Takuya holding up a note that read: "READ IT!"

She picked up the paper crane that was directly below her feet and unfolded the paper, until it was completely flat against the desk. She gazed at the contents barely able to make out, what she knew to be, Takuya's scribbled and poorly made piece of work that was his penmanship alone. She pulled out a paper of her own from her notebook to scribble out the words that she couldn't really read for reference. A few minutes had gone by, before she was finally able to read it, in its completion.

The note read: "Zoe, sorry for earlier when I told you about my bad morning. I didn't mean to worry you. I was just having a rough day, and felt like I needed to tell someone. Anyways, I was hoping you could tell me the phone number of that cute friend you have. You know, Amora something. I forget her last name. Anyways, write her number on this note and send it back.

Thank you, Takuya".

She saw a happy face scribbled on the left margin marked with an X and a long underscore. _"That idiot,"_ she thought, "_why didn't he just wait to tell me himself after class? It's not like there's a time limit or something"._ She giggled at the idea of writing her friend's phone number, and instead wrote, "Ask her yourself, blubber-head," she then crumpled the paper and tossed it back at him. She was thankful Ms. Kaiou was too busy correcting papers to notice her slight oversight.

She grinned when she saw Takuya open up the paper and let out what, what looked to be, a silent "Awe". _"That'll teach him,"_ she thought. Zoe knew it was wrong to simply give a boy –even though the boy happened to be one of her best friends– a girls number without their permission, but she also knew that wasn't the only reason she refused to write the phone number. This led her back to a certain day, two months ago:

* * *

**-Shibuya Central Park-February 14-12:14 P.M.**

The day began rather well Zoe thought. Everything was at its peak. Her dad finally started his first day on his new job, her mother began her volunteer service and she herself finally got her first paycheck from working at a part-time job at some local restaurant joint. Something she'd only agreed to sign up for, for a very special occasion— Valentines' Day, and that day was now here!

She was extremely excited that she mistakenly ordered three boxes of _Swiss Kiss Chocolate Supreme Surprise, _from a catering company four blocks down her current position. She didn't care though because today was her perfect day, and she was determined not to let anything ruin it.

Zoe had prepared for this day a month ahead. She begged the restaurant owner for a quick job, to which he caved in, she begged her mother to buy her a pink flower dress to which she caved in and she begged her father to allow her to finally start dating… to which he caved in as well, after some helpful persuasion from her mother that is.

But that was Zoe by nature- stubborn, fixed and rigid when she wanted something, or in this case, someone. In this case it happened to be a very special someone she's known for quite some years now. He was also that same, someone, she's waiting for at that current moment, at Shibuya Central Park to give him her assorted box of chocolates as a symbol of her love for him.

"Where's is he?" she cried, while stomping her left foot on the ground. "He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. I know I wrote it right… '12:20 PM Central Park, Shibuya'," she exclaimed. She held her box of assorted chocolates close to her chest hoping that the guy she invited to this gathering hadn't stood her up.

"Excuse me miss," spoke a soft-laden woman. She poked at Zoe, hoping to grab her attention. She did. "I couldn't help but hear you say you're waiting for someone at 12:20 PM, correct?"

Zoe looked at her, eyeing her carefully making sure she wasn't some weirdo or creep. "Ah yea, actually I am. Why?" she replied with hesitation.

"Well I didn't mean to spook you or anything," the woman began, "but my watch says it's just past 12:15. See." The woman inched her wrist closer to Zoe so that she could have a better look at the time.

"Oh… I'm so embarrassed," muttered Zoe, and began to cover her mouth with her hands. She backed herself a few inches away from the other woman before speaking again. "Thank you so much," she continued, "I really do appreciate you taking your time to inform me. She froze for a second thinking about what she just said, "_Inform me," _she thought, _"great now I know I'm nervous."_

"No problem, my dear." The woman waved her hand as if to say "no problem" then let out a quiet purr. She began again, "Hope that special someone comes by to help you eat those chocolates my dear," she jested, and then pointed her fingers at the assorted chocolates, before finally walking away.

Zoe watched as the woman pointed her stubby fingers at her box of chocolates, before walking away and preventing another word to be exchanged. She couldn't help but feel uneasy the way the woman was acting, but she couldn't allow herself to be bothered by such trivial thoughts. She walked a few steps to her right, before finally letting herself slump onto a nearby bench. She let out a long sigh. "I can't believe I'm so nervous," she murmured aloud. She closed her eyes and slowed her breaths between each interval to help her relax while she waited for the person she invited.

"Hey Zoe!"

"Hm," was all she said while raising herself from her current slouching position. She let out a huge grin. "Oh hey, Koji!"

"What are you doing sitting on the bench?" her friend asked. "Don't you know what day is today? It's Valentine's Day." Koji looked at his friend for a few seconds before allowing himself to sit right next to her on the bench. "I thought girls loved that sort of thing?"

"I do, what do you think I'm doing with these stupid boxes in my hands?" She shook her arms to revert his attention towards the boxes she was holding.

He looked at the boxes that Zoe was clutching tightly to her chest, a little confused at the moment. Then it hit him, but not before Zoe blurted something out.

"I'm sorry to say this, but can go away now Koji? You'll ruin my special moment." She snapped at him while motioning for him to go away.

Koji got up from the bench, but not before teasing her little. "Okay, okay, I get it," he began, while shooting his hands up in the air as a peace offering. "So, who are you waiting for anyways?"

"It's none of your damn business, Koji," she bellowed, noticing the tone of her voice. "Sorry Koji," she instantly apologized. "It's just that I've been waiting and preparing for this for over a month. I want everything to go right." She looked down at her box of chocolates, before meeting her gaze with Koji's.

"Hey, it's no biggy," he admitted uncomfortably. "I get it okay. I may not look like it, but I actually do get it. Any who, I just happened to be on my afternoon jog, till' I noticed you sitting here alone."

Zoe looked at her friend for a couple of seconds making sure he was being sincere. She received her confirmation when he smiled at her with that same grin he always had when he needed to assure someone of what he confesses. Something she rarely sees him do.

"Sorry for snapping at you so suddenly, Koji", she confessed. "It's just, I've never really had the courage to ask him out until now, and I'm nervous and a little scared, and—"

He interrupted her. "Don't be sorry. I know." He reached out and gave her a quick hug before finally letting go, blushing a little as he pulled away. "Well um… I better get going now," he stammered, "don't want to ruin your moment here." With that he stood up from the bench and a made a motion to leave, but not before saying one final statement. "Oh and I know, just don't let Takuya catch you while you're mad. He says it scares him sometimes." With that he made a quick run for it, before Zoe could give him a piece of her mind. Which, she did anyways.

"What do you mean Takuya? I didn't say it was Takuya," she yelled out after him.

"Good luck," was all that Koji roared back, before fading off into the distance.

"What do you mean it's not me, what?"

"What?" Zoe turned around only to find herself face to face with Takuya Kanbara, the person she'd been waiting for.

* * *

So what do you think? Much better? Or Worse? As I promised, I told you guys I'd make the chapters longer so I have. Although I did say steadily, so next time, Ill be sure to increase the word count. Any who, I left it off with a cliff hanger to keep you guys guessing as to what exactly will happen. Also, if anyone has questions for it in the future, as some of you have noticed already, I have changed some of the characters personalities a bit. I mean think about it, four years have passed, so personalities are bound to change and/or soften a bit. I didn't change too much, just some indication that time has passed.

Also, I kept the English names and personality traits from the Dub version simply, because it is the only version I've watched and plan to keep it that way. Hope everyone understand. Also, the coupling I will not reveal until the later chapters to keep some suspense into the story.

Also thank you everyone for following, reviewing and taking a chance to read this FanFic. I greatly appreciate the effort and hope you may look forward to this story as I do writing it. As a reminder, anyone who has ideas or would like things to go a certain way may PM me or write a review on it stating why it should and things like that. What monsters would you like introduced, couplings you'd like to see, POVs you'd like me to introduce and/or write on and so on. Thanks again everyone.


	4. So It Begins

**Well I finished another chapter. As many of you have noticed, if you had, I seem to be publishing these chapters rather frequently. Way more than I had planned originally. I do have a life outside of this, believe it or not, I just seem to have downtime until February, and well, I've been really psyched with writing this story. Any who, be sure to review and again, thank you for taking the time to read this FanFic. Also, to forewarn everyone, I realize this chapter may have more errors, mistakes, etc. I know. It's longer than usual for me, so if any mistakes or errors that you find please PM me or post them on a review. I have read this chapter script more than a good amount of times and need a break from it. Enjoy!**

* * *

**-Takasaki District-February 23-POV: Zoe**

I couldn't believe it. It was all wrong; the moment, the timing… all of it. Things didn't feel right. At least, in my head that is, or maybe my heart? I don't know. I can't seem to think anymore. Am I panicking? Maybe I should back up a little. Begin where it started. That might help me understand the situation better. Will it? I suppose I have no other choice. Well here I go.

It all started that weird Sunday afternoon. Yeah, I remember now. I was waiting for someone. Who was it? Ah that's right, Takuya. Now what was I doing? Oh I remember. How could I forget? I mean, it was only the time my heart was broken. Now where to begin…

* * *

**-Shibuya Central Park-February 14-12:21 P.M.**

"What do you mean it's not me, what?"

"What?" Zoe turned around only to find herself face to face with Takuya, the one she has been waiting for. "Oh Takuya!" she blurted. She quickly turned away to hide the blush that she was sure was creeping its way to her cheeks. _Damn, I didn't expect him to show up so suddenly_. She cringed her eyes for a second, before finally gaining back her composure. She waited a few more seconds, after she was sure the blush had faded enough, before turning around to face Takuya once more. "You made it," she sighed, "thank goodness." She stared at him directly in the eye, giving him a warm smile and tapping the empty space next to her on the bench as an indication to sit down. "C'mon here, sit, I don't bite," she confessed. She sensed the glee in her voice, but she didn't care. The moment she had been preparing for was finally here.

"Hey, Zoe, so um, what was the invite for?" he asked rather frankly. Takuya made a motion to sit next to her on the bench, but was immediately stopped by her hand. _What the_, he thought. "You okay Zo, you're acting really weird right now." He scratched the back of his head, before finally placing his hand on his hips.

"Yeah, it's just that…," she drifted off. _What's wrong with me, why did I stop him from sitting down? _She contemplated with her thoughts a little more, before finally noticing someone standing a few inches near Takuya and her. "Who's that?" Zoe pointed towards the direction behind Takuya.

Takuya averted his attention towards the direction Zoe was pointing at, and found who she was talking about. "Oh her," he cried, "here let me introduce you. Hey, Mimi, over here," he shouted, while waving towards a girl who seemed to be busy taking a photo of a nearby rose bush. He made a motion for her to come over, not caring the slightest who was listening.

As the girl walked over towards the direction of both her and Takuya, Zoe mentally scanned the girl's physical attributes, taking in a mental note of her appearance. Quick to react, she then proceeded to stand up, offering a handshake to the other girl who had placed herself right next to Takuya. "Hello, my name's Zoe," she offered her hand. "And your name is?" she asked, pretending like as if she'd never heard Takuya shout out her name, just moments ago.

"Mimi," the other girl began, "Mimi—"

She was interrupted by Zoe. "Mimi, that's such a pretty name." She remarked. _Who does this… hmm, if she thinks she has a chance with Takuya, she better be ready, cause' I'm not going to back down._ While battling with her internal thoughts, Zoe had missed the moment that only occurred to her after hearing the first two phrases Takuya said.

"Zoe, guess what? Mimi here is my girlfriend!" he confessed rather nonchalantly. He then began to rummage through a plastic bag, of many, that he was holding. "Ha, here it is, you slippery little—," he stopped himself short, and then continued to rummage through his bags. "Where are you?" he rhetorically asked the bags, before finally pulling out what looked to be a box of assorted chocolates. "Look see, she gave this to me for Valentine's Day, then asked me to be her girlfriend. Isn't that exciting?" He pressed a box of chocolates towards Zoe's direction, oblivious to the faces that she seemed to be trying extremely hard to conceal.

"Oh, that's g-g-great. That's great," she managed to blubber out. Zoe looked at the box Takuya was holding, for what seemed like forever, until he finally pulled it back.

"Hey, and you seem to be holding some chocolate boxes too. You waiting for someone?" he asked, rather bluntly, oblivious again, to Zoe's feelings.

Zoe quickly placed the boxes next to her on the bench so as not to seem to obvious as to why she had them. "Yeah," she managed to squeak. Her voice was shaky to her dismay, not that Takuya noticed anyways. "That's actually why I called you here." Zoe noticed Mimi was glaring at her from her peripheral vision, but she didn't care. She had to do something.

"Oh, really? What do need?" he asked, while smiling with that same goofy grin Zoe had come to fall in love with. Takuya then made the motion to sit next to his best friend again, but quickly noticed the boxes taking up the rest of the space. _Had she done that purposely?_

Zoe was ready to come out with it. She was ready to declare her love for him. That's why she had prepared all month for. That's why she bothered to even get up early that morning, take a long shower, do her hair and make-up, and basically dolly herself up. She deserves this moment. She knows she does. She thought that was what she wanted. But seeing Takuya with that same giant grin he always had, moved her heart towards a different direction. "Well," she prepared to lie. "I need some advice." She pretended to blush a little, before speaking again. "That is, advice on how boys like to be approached when it comes to asking them out." She slowly finished the last sentence, careful not to seem like she was making it all up.

"Oh, well ugh… that is… well," Takuya stammered, finding it difficult to form the right words in his mouth. He'd never really thought about how to approach other guys… not like he'd ever need that information anyways. "Well, when Mimi asked me out, she just came up to me and was like, 'Hey, you over there—,'"

"I'll finish up here," Mimi interrupted rather hastily.

Zoe had forgotten Mimi was there. She was almost wishing she wasn't— almost.

"Basically," Mimi mused.

Zoe could sense a rather annoyed tone with a hint of condescension.

"I was walking in the Takasaki District with my little box of assorted chocolates, and was like—"

Zoe knew where this was going, so she allowed her thoughts to drift off into another place. It didn't matter to her what Mimi had to say, what's done is done. Besides, she knew the type of person Mimi was. All girls like her spoke in that snobby, girly, think-she's-all-that tone.

She couldn't help but think the unfairness of the situation. How cruel fate was to her today. Why allow her to achieve some much within the past month? Why allow her to be so close to finally accomplishing that hard task from years before, only to come so close, before being snatched the final moment? She couldn't help but think how unfair life was being at the time. Something she wouldn't get over, she thought, until many trials and heartaches.

"And that's how you ask a guy out," Mimi finished, proud of herself for giving another girl, what she thought to be, her much needed opinion.

Zoe was interrupted from her thoughts. Not that she minded. It was heading down gloomy-lane anyhow. Although, she had to admit to herself, she wasn't exactly in a hurry to talk to Mimi again. She figured she had to though, if she wanted the conversation to end already. "Oh, that does make sense," she lied. "I can't believe I never saw it. Maybe, one day I'll put that good advice, you gave me, to work." She pretended to give her a genuine smile, before looking back at Takuya. "Well, it seems I won't be needing your advice anymore Takuya. Your girlfriend here has helped me out enough." It stung her heart to admit to herself that Takuya had a girlfriend, let alone say it out loud, but she knew she had to fake it all; for her friend.

"Really? I thought that was a load of bull, but if you say-so Zo," Takuya smiled, and then let out a laugh.

Watching Takuya smile and laugh made her heart both ache and feel warm. A feeling she knew, she would have to get used to, if Mimi was to be in Takuya's life for a while.

"Whatever, Takuya. You know it was good advice. That's how I managed to make you _my_ of-fi-cial boy-friend," uttered Mimi, making sure Zoe heard the last part. She knew how Zoe had felt about Takuya and was doing the best she could to make sure she didn't get her hands on her now, present boyfriend.

Zoe, on the other hand, hated the last way she said the last part. It was snarky and, frankly to her, stupid. She didn't like anything about Mimi, but was not about spoil Takuya's mood. "Well, anyways you guys better get going, my future boyfriend might be coming any second now," she stated rather sarcastically.

"Future boyfriend?" questioned Mimi, in an amusing tone.

Zoe now knew, she really didn't like Takuya's new girlfriend. "Yes, future boyfriend, depending on how it goes," she replied. Before allowing Mimi to continue on further on her remarks, she made a shooing motion to the both of them, wanting time to think to herself. They gave her one last smile, to which she did in return, before turning around and leaving, while holding hands; something that annoyed Zoe even more.

After, fading into the distance, Zoe finally let out a long held, exasperated sigh. She slapped her hand to her face, and slouched herself back onto the bench. "Stupid, Mimi," she began speaking aloud to herself, "and stupid Takuya. All boys are the same. They see a pair of breasts and legs and their hormones start to kick up. Bunch, of idiots, if you ask me."

"Awe, come on now, not all guys are that bad," whispered a voice into Zoe's ear.

"What?" Zoe quickly stood up, loosing momentum and risked almost falling to the ground, subsequently.

"Whoa, careful now," suggested the man, while catching Zoe by her forearm, before her head could meet the ground. "You almost hit your head there. Gotta' be more vigilant like me, you idiot," he joked.

"Idiot, who are you calling idiot you piece of— oh," she paused, "Hey, Koji." She noticed he was still holding on to her arm. "Um… you can let go now," she stated nervously.

"Huh," he blinked, before finally realizing what she was talking about. He blushed a little before quickly letting go of her arm. Not having any place to put his hands now, he shoved them into his pockets.

After, staring at each other for a few more seconds, he quickly started a new topic, before anything could become more awkward. "So what were you going to call me there? A piece of what?" he jokingly questioned.

"Oh, sorry about that. It's just that, I'm kind of in a fowl mood," she admitted. She placed her right hand between her lips and began biting on her nails.

"I take it things didn't go well with Takuya?" he asked with seriousness, disregarding his previous question. Koji always had known how Zoe felt about Takuya, and felt it was his part to support her when she was down.

"No, it didn't," she stated honestly.

Koji could hear the sadness in her voice.

"I just don't get it," she announced, "what's wrong with me? I'm I just not pretty enough for him or something? Why hasn't he ever bothered to notice how I truly feel about him?" She began to cry, with tears, that she tried to hold back, streaming down her cheeks. She quickly realized the embarrassment of the situation and to avoid meeting Koji's gaze, hid her shame by burying her face between her legs while holding herself in the fetal position.

Koji stared at his best friend, not knowing what to do. Sure, he has softened somewhat over the years, but he still found it hard sometimes to coax someone out of depression; much less help them on the affairs of love. So he did the only thing he could think of, he gave her emotional support. He began by picking up the boxes that were lying on the bench and throwing them away, then sat himself next to Zoe. The next thing he did came as a surprise to both him and her— he embraced her between his arms.

Zoe's eyes grew wide. This was the first time Koji's ever offered an embracement and held it this long. She didn't care though. All she wanted was someone to hold her, and what better someone, than a best friend. Several minutes went by, and she still didn't let go. She wondered why Koji hadn't either. Some time had passed before she was finally ready to let go, but before doing that, she had to make sure she thanked Koji properly. So, she did the only thing that came natural to her— she kissed him on the cheek, and then ended the embrace by pulling away.

Koji touched his right cheek with two of his fingers. He couldn't believe that Zoe had just kissed him, even though it was one the cheek. He never really was attracted to her in that way, but right now he knew it would be wrong to mention it. Instead he smiled at her and said nothing more.

"Thank you," she whimpered. She was going to say more, but was shushed by a finger placed on her lips.

"I know, just don't say anything, anymore." He pondered so more, thinking of what he should say next. "Tell you what, why don't we grab ourselves some ice cream or something? That way we could get ourselves out of this mood." He finally had a better look at Zoe and realized her make-up was smeared all across her face. "But first, let's get your face cleaned up. You look terrible," he smiled at her.

Zoe knew she had to be offended by that last remark, but she didn't care at the moment. All she knew right was that Koji was offering to take her out, and that's all that mattered. She nodded her head –up and down– as an indication that she accepted his offer. "I know a local ice cream joint. It's called _Snoozes Paloozes_ if you want to go there?" she croaked.

"That sounds great. Come on lets go." He helped her up from the bench and offered her his "workout" rag. 'Here," he stated, while looking away from her. "Use this to clean yourself up. It's dirty from my sweat, but it's better than nothing."

"It's fine. I don't really mind right now," she admitted to him, after taking the rag he had offered her. She was disgusted by the fact that the rag contained Koji's sweat, but at the moment, nothing really did matter. Something she kept thinking to herself while around Koji. He really was sweet, she thought. Nothing like the first time they met in the Digital World. Something else her heart yearned for over the years— the Digital World.

"You coming or what?" asked Koji who already began to walk out of the park.

"Huh." She paused for a second, and then ran to catch up with Koji. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her as they both walked out of Shibuya Central Park. That's where the memory ended.

* * *

**-Heightonview High School-April 3rd-11: 03 A.M.**

"Earth to Zoe, earth to Zoe? You there?"

Zoe picked up her head from it resting place between her arms, she figured she must've fallen asleep. She made an effort to glance at the wall clock within the classroom, but her vision was blocked by a pair of hands. She figured it was Takuya's.

"Hey, there sleepyhead. You awake yet?" Takuya jokingly questioned.

Yep, she was right, it was Takuya. She let out a yawn followed by the stretching of her hands and feet, before responding back to Takuya's question. "What is it?" she replied back drowsily, her senses still somewhat faded.

"I said are you awake yet?" he repeated. He crouched down to the desk level so as to look at her squarely in the face, then began to cup hear chin between his hands.

Zoe looked at him intently back, blushing a little but making no effort to conceal it. "Is testing over?" was all she could think to say.

Takuya rose up, standing tall, unfortunately for Zoe, breaking the connection they were having. He placed his hands on his hips, before speaking. "Nope," was all he said before letting out a wide laugh. "It's just break time. The other students are already out in the halls and jazz, just chatting it up," he stated, while pointing towards the direction of the classroom door.

Zoe looked to where he was pointing, before letting out a laugh of her own. She couldn't believe she had been asleep for so long. "So how long has it been since the break started?" she asked. She pulled a mirror out of her bag, and began to reapply the make-up on her face, which had smeared while she was sleeping.

"Not long," he replied. "Maybe, three minutes or so." He laid out his hand for Zoe. This surprised her. "C'mon," he chuckled, letting out a soft laugh afterwards. "Let's go to Shibuya Central Park. I have a surprise for you there."

"And leave the school unofficially announced? No way mister, you may be able to charm your way out of a lot of things, but—," she was interrupted by a finger placed on her lips.

"Don't worry, dummy," he playfully retorted. "I've already talked to the teacher. She said it was okay since we've finished our finals and all." He winked and smiled at her, before motioning for her to follow him. "C'mon," he stated again, "lets go before the break is over," he made his way towards the front of the classroom.

Zoe processed the information in her head rather quickly, trying to decide whether this was another one of Takuya's, as she called them, "brainless schemes, or whether he was being genuinely honest. Either didn't matter, since she knew what she wanted to do. She put her make-up away, rose from her seat and followed him.

"So why are we going to Shibuya Central Park?" Zoe asked Takuya, as they were exiting the high school's main building.

They walked a few steps further, before he finally replied. "You'll see. You just got to trust me." He smiled at her and rested his head on his arms, which were crossed.

"Oh, I trust you all right. It's your stupid side that I don't follow so easily," she retorted. Zoe began thinking about all the times Takuya and her spent together. Frankly, it amazed her how Takuya didn't pick up on the signals she sometimes sent him to confess her love. She wondered if he was that dense to notice; a thought that was prematurely interrupted.

Hey, guys! Wait for me!" a voice shouted from the distance.

"He-he-hey! Buddy!" Takuya waved over to a man who seemed to be running over to their direction.

"You guys weren't going to leave without me, were ya?" the man openly shouted.

"Of course not. Like I wrote to you on that paper I gave you. Meet us at the front of the high school." Takuya bellowed.

Zoe wondered how Takuya could be so obliviously loud. Sometimes a part of her wished she could just shrink and hide between the cracks on the pavement when around him. It was then the man finally caught up to them.

"Hey, JP," Takuya joyfully greeted his friend. Takuya stared at a boy who seemed to be wearing the high school's mandatory uniform of: a blue velvet blazer, a white undershirt, blue denim jeans and matching shoes.

"Hey JP," Zoe happily greeted, as well. She looked at her oldest best friend, sometimes amazed at how much he'd changed. When Zoe had first met JP, she thought he was kind of odd looking. He was chubby, his face was big and he always wore that jumper-suit to which she thought, was extremely gross both fashionably and hygiene-wise. Now she stared at a man who has changed his appearance 180 degrees, give or take. He had lost a lot of weight, his body grew into his head and ever since he matured out of his jumpsuit phase, she's found him to be, rather, quite handsome.

"Oh hey Zo!" JP cried with glee. He paused for a second trying to catch his breath from the running he'd just done before continuing. "So, where are we headed to?" He placed his hands inside his jean pockets.

"To Shibuya Central Park," Takuya happily announced. "I've already sent Koji, Koichi and Tommy a text letting them know where to meet up." He stated rather assertively. Confidence was probably what he was aiming for.

"You what?" JP and Zoe shouted in unison. They both looked at Takuya, worried about the consequence that might be ensured from his actions.

"Don't worry guys; I made sure they were done with their tests as well. What do you think, I'm some kind of idiot?" he asked honestly, while raising his hands up as shield.

"Maybe," Zoe vexed.

"Oh, but they finished their state testing too?" JP asked rhetorically, already knowing the answer to his question. "I didn't even know their state testing was today. I suppose the entire district holds it on the same day."

It's true. Though JP, Takuya and Zoe all went to the same high school, Koji and Koichi attended a different school within the same district. It was after middle school that both Koji and Koichi began to attend the same high school, something their parents decided, to bring them closer together. Since Koichi lived a distance away and Koji lived in the same district as his other friends, both their parents moved as closer as they could so as to allow a meeting spot to be created. In this case, their high school was the place. Tommy on the other hand, although he lived within the same area as Zoe, Takuya and JP, attended middle school.

"Who cares," Takuya howled. "The point is that they're done." He leaned his back against nearby wall and placed one foot on the wall for extra support.

"Yeah, that right," Zoe readily agreed, while raising a fist into the air.

"Well that's fine with me," JP agreed too, place a finger below his septum line.

"Then it's settled, we're going to Shibuya Central Park!" Takuya shouted.

"Hey, keep it down will ya. I'm trying to work here," a man who looked to be construction worker shouted at them.

"Sorry," they apologized in unison.

"Okay, let's go you guys," Takuya exclaimed, while making a waving motion for them to follow him as he walked further down the street. "Boy do I have a surprise for you." He let out a laugh and then snickered a little, to show his excitement. The other two followed him from behind all the way to the park. They didn't know it then, but their lives were about to change forever… again.

* * *

**-Shibuya Central Park-April 3rd-12:12 P.M.**

"Man where are they, we've been waiting over thirty minutes already!" shouted an exasperated Takuya.

Takuya, JP and Zoe had arrived to the park thirty minutes before, and were preparing the barbecue steak-out that Takuya planned a few weeks ago. Even though Takuya had a rough morning, he figured the day was soon to get better. He had his friends, he finished state testing and sure enough, he was ready to eat some barbecue!

"Relax Takuya," sneered Zoe, trying to shut Takuya up from his excessive whining. She admitted, she herself was rather tired of waiting for the others to show up, but she also couldn't stand Takuya's whining any longer. _Maybe, it was best that we're not going out. At this rate, I'd probably come to regret it._ She giggled a little to herself at the thought of it, oblivious that the boys were staring at her in confusion.

"You okay Zoe?" JP worriedly asked.

"Yeah, man what's the deal Zo?" Takuya added.

Zoe stared at her two friends, realizing what just happened. "Oh it's nothing," she clamored, while poking her two index fingers together in a back and forth motion.

"Well that's good to hear," Takuya admitted while lazily sitting down on a nearby bench. 'For a minute there I thought you lost it." He leaned back as far as he could, before letting out a sigh of despair. "Man, am I bored," he whined. He then begun to pinch the bridge of his nose, but stopped himself short, before anyone else could notice. It was too late for that.

"You okay Takuya?" asked Zoe worriedly. "You seem to be doing that lately. Is something bothering you? She sat down next to him on the bench, waiting for him to answer.

Takuya looked at Zoe, surprised that she had even noticed it. It was only for a second that he pinched his bridge… at least that's what he thought. "Yeah, I'm fine," he stated matter-of-factly. "It's just I'm a little annoyed right now is all," he admitted. "What with the sun burning down on us, and my stomach rumbling cause' it's hungry," he continued hoping Zoe would buy the story. He placed his hand on her shoulder to reassure her of whatever worries he thought she might be thinking.

She looked at him for a few seconds longer before finally letting out a sigh of relief. "Well that's good to know. For a second there I thought something might be wrong with you," she confessed. She placed a hand on her forehead and made the notion of acting like as if she was saved from a huge trouble.

"Something wrong with me!?" Takuya huffed. "You mean something's wrong with you! You're the one making giggles and shi—"

"Hey, watch you mouth mister, and don't start that again. I told you it was nothing," she interrupted. "Takuya, sometimes you so much like a…"

"Like a what? Say it?" He retorted back, coming face to face with Zoe.

"You really wanna' know. Hmm, do ya?" she yelled back. Pressing her face closer to Takuya's.

"Yeah, show me," he demanded, pressing his face even closer to hers. It seemed as if though the two were close enough to kiss. At least, that's the way it looked for—

"Are you two lovebirds done making out yet?" a male voice questioned.

"Hmm, oh hey you guys look, it's Koji!" JP announced, so as to stop his two friends from fighting any further.

"Koji," Zoe screamed, officially ending the bickering-fest. She let go of Takuya's shirt, quickly getting up from the bench to greet her best friend. She noticed he was wearing his school uniform outfit as well, which consisted of: a gray blazer, white slacks and a pair of matching shoes. She also noticed he wasn't wearing a bandana today.

Takuya, on the other hand, who had fallen from the bench after Zoe let him go, quickly stood up to greet his friend as well, but stopped midway to state his opinion. "Lovebirds, as if," Takuya snickered, his face red from embarrassment. He then proceeded to shake Koji's hand and give him that, what he called "bro-hug" which involved the clasping of hands and then the pounding of shoulders. "Great you finally made it, Koji. And just in time too, Zoe and I were just about ready to rumble before you showed up. Weren't we Zo?" He beamed at her with a jolly expression, followed by a wink.

She wasn't going to fall for it. "Shut up, Takuya. We were going to do no such thing". She stomped her foot on the ground. "Besides even if we had, I definitely would've beaten you." She stated matter-of-factly.

"I bet you would have," a cracked voice came from out of nowhere.

Zoe looked to her right, and found herself staring at a middle-statured boy whose face had a wide grin on it. She recognized that brown-haired, brown-eyed kid anywhere. "Tommy," she happily cried. She ran over to where he was and gave him a hug of her own.

"I want a hug as well," spoke a soft-deep voice.

"Huh," they all turned to face another boy standing next to Takuya.

Their expressions grew wide. "Koichi!" Takuya was the first to shout.

"Well if it's a hug you want come over here and give me one," JP jokingly bantered, while holding his arms out.

"It's good to see you Koichi, it's been what, three weeks since we last saw you?" Zoe stated. "At least, everyone except Koji, that is," she followed up.

"It's great that you finally made it Koichi. I was a little worried you wouldn't come." Koji stared at his brother right in the eyes, noticing the similarities and differences between each other. Although, Koichi shared the same physical traits as him, Koji and his friends knew the slight distinctions between them, like: the different level voice pitch, the sense of fashion-style and the different scars they both had from their adventures in the Digital World.

"It's good to see you too, little brother." They both stared at one another for another few seconds, before Takuya broke off the happy reunion.

"Well now that we're all here," Takuya began, "I'd like to make an official announcement." Everyone stared at Takuya. It was times like this that reminded them all; of the hopeful and optimistic leader Takuya was when they were in the Digital World. Takuya paused for a few seconds, for dramatic effect, placed his hands to his back and continued with his proclamation. "It's been four years, as you all know, from this very day that we all arrived and came back from the Digital World." He paced around a little more, before continuing. "And to commemorate that day, which is now," he stated while pointing a finger upwards, "I have planned and outfitted a barbecue feast for us to enjoy!" He pulled on the fabric of a table cloth, which had been previously concealing something, to reveal an entire course meal laid out on the table: napkins, plates, and containers containing… well… food.

"Molto Bello!" Zoe shouted, while clapping her hands together.

"Wow!" the rest said in unison. They looked at Takuya, then the table, then back at Takuya unable to hide the happy grins on their faces. That is, everyone except Koji, who didn't really like showing that side to anyone— including his friends.

"So how'd you pay for all of this?" Koji started. He walked towards the direction Takuya was standing in, and looked him firmly in the eye.

Everyone became quiet.

"Geez, lighten up buddy," Takuya playfully joked while resting his hand on Koji's shoulder. "You have nothing to worry about," he continued, "but if you're still a little worried. Here, takealookatthis," he happily bellowed the last part, while pulling something out from his jacket-pocket. He showed a piece of paper to Koji.

Koji swiped the paper from Takuya's hand and began to read its contents. After careful examination he paused for a second, then looked at Takuya with astonishment. "So how'd you get a hold of this?" was all he managed to say, a bewildered look robbing him of the rest of his sentence.

"My ex-girlfriend gave it to me on White Day. It was supposed to be for me and her, but I broke it off a week after she'd given it to me," Takuya remarked. "She was all like, 'Keep it. I don't want the stupid thing. Take your freak friends and have a nice bitc—,' well you can figure out the rest," he interrupted himself.

Koji stared at his best friend. He couldn't think of nothing else to say, so he did the obvious. "You're girlfriend did what? You're kidding right," he roared. Then began to laugh hysterically.

Takuya hesitated for a second, but then joined in on the laughter. "Yep," he began, "She was all like, 'Takuya, you're an ass. I never want to date someone like you ever again'", he mimicked in a nasally way. "And I was all like, 'Blah, blah, blah'. Although, I did leave right away, cause' the look on her face afterwards was sc-aaaaa-ry," he bellowed earning him laughter from everyone else.

Zoe, who had been part of the laughter, cut herself short after realizing that Takuya said the words "ex-girlfriend" and "broke it off" all in two sentences. Happy to know that Takuya was over Mimi, she had to play it smart to figure out whether he was still single again, or in a new relationship. "So," she began, cutting everyone's laughter, "Takuya, did Mimi say anything else to you?" She left it off at that, careful not to want to seem too desperate.

Takuya looked at her, clutching his stomach while he did, from all the laughter had had just done. "Not much," he confessed. "Although, I do remember her saying at one point, that guys like me were the reason she preferred foreign boys, or something like that."

"Oh, well that's good to know. I never really liked her, "she admitted, "She was always so bossy and loud. Snobby too, if I remember correctly." She stated while placing a finger on her lips.

"Yeah, she was a real piece of something that's for sure," Koji chimed in. He then quickly shot a wink to Zoe, then reverted his attention back at Takuya so no one else would notice.

Zoe, tactfully taking in the chance added, "Well I hope your new girlfriend isn't anything like her. Cause' if she is—"

"New girlfriend?" Takuya retorted. "Nope, I'm not in a relationship, and I don't plan to be for a lo-oooooong time." He prolonged the last part for emphasis.

_Yes!_ Zoe thought. This meant that Takuya was officially available again. Although, she had to admit, she didn't like the last part of Takuya's remark. She now knew how long ago it was when Takuya had separated with Mimi, but she still wondered how much longer he would need to recover. _How long do guys take to recover from a break-up, _she thought.

Koji, noticing the expression on Zoe's face, played his advice smartly. "Just give it time," he pretended to say to Takuya.

"What?" Takuya responded, taking in the bait.

"You heard me. Just give it time, and everything will work out." He repeated once more, then shot a glance at Zoe. "Right Zoe?" he nodded to her as an approval to continue on for him.

Quick to respond, she said whatever came to the top of her head first. "Ugh, right. What Koji said," she readily agreed. She shook her head before continuing, "and then who knows, maybe one day the girl of your dreams might come dashing out for you." She added.

The rest of their friends just stood and watched as Takuya, Koji and Zoe played the game of who-likes-who or whatever it was. They understood what was happening, simply because, they all knew how Zoe had felt about Takuya. Something they weren't about to ruin that very moment. They didn't have to though, that's what their best friend Takuya was for.

"The heck are you guys talking about?" Takuya asked, confused as to what Koji and Zoe were talking about. "You guys are all like this and that about some random girl who I dumped a month after dating. No offense guys, but I never really liked her.

"So why'd you date her?" Tommy chimed in. He knew he shouldn't have, but he really did want to know.

"Cause' she begged me too," he confessed. "She was making a scene and all so I felt kind of, well, you know, bad for her. I didn't really want to date her in the first place. To be honest, I'm not even planning on dating yet… at least, not until I'm ready to do so anyways.

"And when's that," JP chimed in with a question of his own.

"Sure beats me. I'll be ready when I know I'm ready, you know?" Takuya jokingly answered.

"You're not making any sense, Takuya," Koichi joined in.

They all stared at Takuya, waiting for a more cohesive answer. Instead they got something else. "Well what are we all doing standing here talking about my love life when we could be eating some barbecue," he shouted, while running towards the picnic table.

They all knew he wasn't going to share anything anymore, at least for now. So they did exactly what their former leader suggested. They sat down to eat.

_Man, why are they bumming me out about this right now_, Takuya thought. Instead of letting his thoughts overtake him; Takuya jerked his head as if the negativity would fall off, and then began to serve some food into his plate.

Some hours had passed since that event, and everyone was already well underway to playing outdoor-games, chatting or doing some other activity that preoccupied their time. Everyone was having a good time! They were all glad that Takuya had set this festivity up, since they haven't had a reunion like this since heir return. Sure, they've all met together every now and then, but it was usually for something other than just a simple celebration feast.

Although, too busy having fun, none of the six teenagers noticed a dark cloud looming over the central park; or the fact that the ground beneath them was starting to give way, starting with the picnic table where they were all formerly at. In fact, it wasn't until a scream could be heard from a distance, that everyone stopped doing their activities.

"Ah...AHHHHHHHH!" the screeching noise could be heard from afar.

Takuya, Koji and Koichi stopped playing soccer, Zoe stopped redoing her make-up, and JP ended his tennis game with Tommy.

"What was that?" Takuya was the first to say anything.

"I don't know," Koichi replied, who had been tending the goal next to Takuya.

"Let's go and check it out," shouted Koji for everyone to hear. He then motioned for everyone to head in the direction where the scream had come from. Though they haven't been to the Digital World in four years, the gang's sense of adventure never truly left them.

The wind began to pick up as the terrible storm came closer to the park. "Where's everyone," shouted Zoe over the wind. Her hair, unlike everyone else's, wasn't flying all over the place. Something she was oblivious to, until Tommy pointed it out.

"Zoe, your hair and clothes, they aren't flying all over the place," Tommy shouted over the harsh wind, while pointing directly at Zoe.

"Did you guys hear that," JP shouted. "It sounded like thunder or something!"

Sure enough after saying that, lightning began to appear all over the place. Out of nowhere snow began to creep over the park as well; the sun was blocked by a thick fog of some kind. The six teens had no way of knowing where everyone else was at. A few minutes had passed before anyone made a sound.

"Ahhhhhhh!" a voice screamed.

"What the? What was that," a voice that sounded like Takuya's asked over the dense fog.

"It sounded like Zoe's scream" a voice much like Koji's shouted over the loud storm. "I can't be to sure, I can't see anything. He shifted about, extending his arms in hopes that he might find something to lean on, or someone... "Hey, Takuya you still there?," he shouted. "Takuya!" _Man, who won't he answer?_ Koji panicked for a second, his heart dropping at the thought of Takuya's sudden silence.

_Snap,_

"Huh, what was that?" Koji asked into the open fog. He backed up a little, before accidently tripping over what he thought to be… _no it can't be_, he shook his head. _It's impossible_. "What the—," was all he said, before a white light emitted from out of nowhere, engulfing him and everything else with it.

Moments later, another voice could be heard.

"Hey, you guys, where are you? I can't see anything," coughed Koichi. Koichi walked around a little more not being able to determine where he was. The last thing he remembered was playing soccer with Koji and Takuya, then the storm. "The storm," he mouthed silently, then placed a hand over his mouth. His eyes grew wide at the thought of what might have happened to his friends. He does recall hearing loud screams, but then, the next thing he knew, he blacked out for what seemed like only seconds. _Was it seconds?_ He thought.

He walked for a few more seconds before growing weak and collapsing where he standing. "Wha-what's happening to me?" he wheezed. He coughed some more before speaking aloud again. "Why can't I breathe?" he clamored, holding onto his threat while gasping for air. "I can't… see…" he took in quick huffs, struggling to breathe.

"_Koichi…,"_ a voice hissed over the fog.

"What the—," was all he managed to croak. "Who-whose o-out there?" He began to crawl on his knees, mustering all the energy he could to move.

_"Koichi, come…,"_ the voice hissed once more. _"Come…,"_ it repeated with a deep hum.

"Who are you?" Koichi muttered, barely able to keep his eyes open. _I can't be scared. I won't fear it. I can't_. As Koichi fought off the temptation to close his eyes, darkness began to envelope itself around him. That's when he saw it, before finally closing his eyes; he saw it, several pairs of red-slit eyes.

"What are you?" he managed to say before finally fainting where he lay. The darkness wrapped itself around him and sent him on a voyage that would lead him into the unknown.

_"Come…,"_ the voice whispered over the darkness, _"and fulfill your destiny…"_ it hissed before finally fading away; carrying along with it, the darkness that seemed to have swallowed everything around it.

* * *

**Okay so as many of you have realized, this chapter is much longer than usual. Heck, it's even longer than I originally planned it to be. On average each chapter I'm making now will be 5,000 words or so, but this one took the cake. Also, for the few of you may have noticed while reading this chapter, whatever ideas or speculations you may have about what's going on in this chapter, remember this, "Nothing is what it seems." So with that out of the way, I'd like to thank everyone for reading this, it really does encourage me to keep writing. **

**If anyone's noticed, yes I am rather starting out this story slowly, but it's only because, I want to introduce the main six heroes backgrounds at least a little before finally getting them to do the norm of Digimon stuff and all. I mean a lot can happen four years, so yeah. Any who, if any of you have any questions, suggestions, comments or critiques PM me or leave a review. I enjoy them as they help me grow as a writer and help cultivate my skills. **

**Remember to review, and don't forget that I'm willing to take suggestions, ideas or requests for anything really. Basically, what you'd like to see happen in the story and junk. A reminder, as well, if you see any errors, mistakes, or something that I've missed in terms of grammar, flow of the story or anything important please let me know ASAP. I appreciate the time your taking and would like to thank you extremely for reading my story. I am grandiosely grateful for the effort!**

**Also, if any of you'd like to comment on the story's plot or have some opinions of your own, I love them. **


	5. Never Ending

**Well, here is the latest chapter to _The Creation of Nothing. _As many of you have seen, I have extended the story a bit, to give you readers, more time to enjoy it. Are you? Hopefully. Any who, that's enough about me. Enjoy the next chapter of this unwinding tale! Okay, I'll admit something first, I did not even bother proofreading this chapter. So if you see any mistakes. Forgive me. I didn't mean it. Honest.**

* * *

**-POV: Takuya-**

There's something wrong with me. I can't feel anything. I don't feel anything. Did I die? I can't tell. Hold on. I'll have to back up here. What's the last thing I remember? Let me recall… I- I was at the park. That's right. I was at Shibuya Central Park. If I was, what was I doing there? I can't remember…

The ambience of birds could be heard from a distance. The sun radiated its light unto the ground, making everything in its path wake up from the call of slumber. At least, that's the thing everyone would say.

"_Takuya… awake, Takuya_," hissed a voice, so softly it sounded so much more like a distant whisper. _"Awake…"_ it repeated, growing slightly louder.

"Ugh, my head," I stammered while cradling my head between my hands. "What am I doing sitting on my ass," I ask myself. I stood up, careful so as not to go too fast. Who knows how long I've been knocked out for? _Was I knocked out? _

"Was I dreaming?" I couldn't remember. I was still weary from just waking up to even begin collecting my thoughts together. "And that voice," I began, "it sounded so familiar." Never mind that. There were more important things to focus on. Like—

"Where the hell am I," I shouted onto the still-open air. A few birds fled from theirs nests, quickly flapping their wings to fly off to who-knows-where. Besides that, there seemed to be no other movement. Not like I expected anything really.

After finally coming to my senses, I began to search around me, taking in the environment I was in. I didn't exactly move, but I did scan the immediate area I was in, somewhat bewildered to my find myself in an open forest. At least it looked open; it wasn't as dense as other forests.

"Hey!" I shouted once more, just to make sure there was nothing dangerous looming about. If there was, it would have come out of hiding after hearing my shouts. At least, that's what I wanted to believe.

So I made my way towards the sparest clearing I could see from my position, while being on the lookout for anything dangerous. From reading several wildlife magazines back home, I was sure to know this was no walk in the park. _Then again, neither was the Digital World_, I thought. _But at least there I was able to spirit digivolve into Agunimon._ Ignoring several more pessimist thoughts, I was sure were trying to creep their way into my mind, I made my way towards what I thought to be east. After walking, what seemed to be ten minutes, I stopped to take a rest on a nearby tree stump. It was there, when I saw it—

My eyes grew wide. "No way," I clamored, letting out a huge grin. I ran towards the direction of what I thought to be… and sure enough it was. "Hey, you, turn around and let me have a look at you," I requested, while tapping a brownish-red figure that resembled a tree stump.

"What?" the talking tree-stump asked. It turned to look at me, raising a branch, which I assumed was the signal for a handshake. I took it.

"How you doing' buddy?" I asked the talking tree-stump, grabbing its branch and shaking it violently.

"Stop doing that you young whippersnapper." The tree-stump demanded with what sounded to me, like an old geezer's voice. "You'll break my branches the way you're doing things." He gave me a stern look, and then I stopped right away after hearing the tree-stump's demand.

"Sorry, buddy. Didn't mean to shake you so hard. I guess I got kind of excited," I remarked, then placed both my arms behind my head. "Anyways, you got a name stumpey?" I joked.

"Yes, in fact I do, and don't call me stumpey. I hate being called after my brother." The tree-stump barked, before letting out a sigh. "You yougin's are all the same, you are. All feisty and to the get, never taking the time to greet your elders and whatnot."

I rolled my eyes. I've seen this before with old folk all the time. I then began to wonder whether I'd turn out that way once I was old… if I ever made it there.

"It's Stumpmon," the talking tree-stump proclaimed.

"What?" I replied, having been interrupted from my thoughts.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" Stumpmon retorted angrily. "I said it's Stumpmon. Yeh, and they say old-folk are deaf."

"Stumpmon?" I began. "You can't be serious! What kind of name is that?" I jokingly pestered.

"Wha— what's wrong with Stumpmon. It's a darn tootin' good name. Why I outta', I tell you something. If I was still Cherrymon, I'd, well I'd throw some Cherry Bombs at you, I would." He made a motion to hit me with a branch of his, which looked oddly enough like a walking-cane.

"I didn't mean anything by it sir," I stated the last part nervously, while backing away from the talking tree-stump. "And what do you mean, 'back when you were Cherrymon?' I thought digimon only grew stronger every time they digivolved?" I looked at him squarely in the eyes, ensuring he'd answer my question.

"Why, you don't know do you?" Stumpmon began. "Wow, and they say the Digidestined are going to save us. Hmm. Seems to me they can't even figure out the ropes of this place."

"Wha—," I began. "What do you mean the Digidestined? Am I really back in the Digital World?" I asked, hopeful of the answer, to which I may have already known. I haven't been to the Digital World since the day our friends and I defeated Lucemon. _Man, I can't believe it._

"Boy you kids are quick with you mouths, but not your heads," Stumpmon jested before continuing, "of course you're back in the Digital World. What'd you think, you were dreamin' or somethin'?" he vexed.

"Well, no actually," I admitted. "I just thought I was hallucinating or something. You know I had a nasty fall a while back, and just woke up."

"That's wasn't a fall. I saw the whole shibazz. You's was being carried down from the sky you's was by some light or somethin'. Looked kind of iffy' if you ask me."

"A light?" I reasoned. I placed my chin on the palm of my right hand, and began to think. I do somehow recall feeling a warm light before being knocked out. That is, was it light that I felt back there, in the park? _Was it?_ My memory still felt fuzzy. _Why can't I remember what happened to me?_

"So's about me beings a Cherrymon and all," he continued again. "I was walkins around some area, I dunno' what the area was, so don't blithering bother asking me. Anyways, I was walkins, yea I was, when I notice a great… yea what was it that I saw, Myea…"

I looked at Stumpmon, patiently waiting for him to recall what happened. Instead of being rude, and hurrying him up, I made my way to sit on another nearby tree-stump, but not before checking to see whether it was alive or not. It wasn't.

"Ah, that's right. I remember's now I do. I was walking through this very forest, when I was cut down from my Cherrymon state. Ooo, boy that was quite some time ago." Stumpmon had fired. He seemed sad for some reason.

I was stunned. The part about him being cut-down came as a surprise to me. "What do you mean, cut-down?" I pried.

Stumpmon moved from his initial spot, and seemed to be heading somewhere. "Come over here kid," he sighed. "I want you to have a look at somethin'." He pointed his cane towards a direction directly in front of him.

I stoop up and walked over to where he was pointing, moving some bushes about to get a better view. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My eyes grew wide, and my mouth must've done the same, because Stumpmon joked about it.

"Yep, that's what happens to us tree-folk when we don't comply. I must've been lucky to survive the genocide," he grumbled.

I was looking at thousands, among thousands of dead plant life everywhere. Tree-stumps, withered roots, weeds and dead plants as far as the eye can see. I paused for a few more seconds, ingraining the scene into my head, and then turned to look at Stumpmon. "I don't get it," I started, "if all those digimon over there were once alive, shouldn't they have turned to digieggs? "I looked at Stumpmon, hoping to hear a yes. I didn't.

"No. Not when their data is taken by the creatures of the Dark Area."

"Dark Area? Isn't that where Lucemon once was?" I asked. "So, even if there data was taken by the "creatures" like you said, shouldn't their data have been restored? I mean it did, at least, when we destroyed Lucemon." I stated the last part slowly, rubbing the back of my head while I did. I didn't know exactly what was going on, but I wasn't about to give up yet.

"Precisely kid," he snickered. "So, long as those "creatures" have their data, they can't be restored. And what's worse, for every data amount that they collect, it only increases their strength." He shook his head in disbelief. "There's nothing we simple digimon can do."

I noticed his voice hadn't faltered this time. He must have been serious. "Well there has to be something we can do to stop this?" I regressed, holding my fists to the air.

"Not we kid, but you Digidestined, the chosen ones, as many call you. You can." He stated the last part with hope in his eyes. I have never been one to pick up on others emotions by their body language, but for some reason, I seem to be doing a lot of that right now.

"I do have a question," I stated suspiciously. "How do you know we're the Digidestined?" I crossed my arms over my chest, standing firm while I did.

"Hesh, no need to get all aggressive with me you young whippersnapper. I just know, why I do."

_It worked. He's back to his old self. "_Well if you say-so." We both made long eye contact, before turning out heads in different directions.

"Anyways," he was the first to speak, "I don't suppose you'll want to know where your friends are? Do ya?"

I froze, and then looked at him immediately. "You know where my friends are?" I shouted.

"Eesh, not so loud. Oh, I think my ear popped there, why it did." He turned his attention down a road, past the destroyed digimon plain that gave a whole new meaning to "dead end". "I saw another point of light in that direction," he pointed past the dead plain. "You'll have to cross this field if you want to get there though, since it's the only road around here.

I gazed at the field of dead plant life. In another time, perhaps not too long ago, I'm sure that field would've looked nice, maybe, even lively. _I have to find my friends and set things right._ I braced myself and stood strong before finally making my decision. Stumpmon must've known what I was thinking, because he gave me some advice. "Don't get too lost in your thoughts kid. I know things may seem rather rough right now, but it'll pass as well. Remember these words, _'Carpe Diem'_, it means—,"

"Seize the day," I repeated alongside him. How he came to know a Latin phrase was beyond me, but I wasn't about to focus on that. I had a friend to find.

"You'll find many places like this, maybe even worse," he continued. "But you gotta' remember that things won't get better unless you're willing to try." He looked at me with a sad smile. "I may be old and washed-up. But that doesn't mean there's no fight left in me. I may not have the strength you young kids have, but I'll tell you something. If I was still Cherrymon, I'd do whatever I could to try to save my friends."

"Don't worry," I muttered softly. I placed my hand on one of his tree branches, before continuing. "My friends and I will do the best we can to save the rest of this world. Even, if it means our own lives." _I sure hope it doesn't get to that._

"I know you will kid," he murmured, while holding my hand tightly. It reminded me so much of when my grandparents use to do that. "I have faith in you."

I smiled at him, before finally pulling back. "We'll guess I'll be going then," I quickly professed. "Don't want to take any more time waiting." I thanked Stumpmon and gave him a bow before I turned to leave.

"Oh, and kid. Before you go. There's one more thing I need to tell you." He grabbed my hand to stop me.

"Yeah?" was all I said.

"Thanks. It means a lot to me that you're willing to try, not just in my place, but for so many others as well." He stated the last part while turning his head towards the direction of the dead plain. He paused for a few seconds before continuing. "I know I may have acted rough on you, but I'm very thankful that you came. Especially now, that we need you more than ever."

I stared at him, while he continued looking towards the dead plain. I had to find some way to cheer him up before leaving. "Hey, don't sweat it buddy."

"Ehzs," was all he said, while turning to look at me.

"We won't let you down. And don't worry about being so rough on me. It's just you, and you know. You gotta' learn to be yourself. Otherwise, who, then, are you?"

He smiled. "Thanks kid. You know, you ain't so bad yourself. You may not look like it, but it seems to me, you got a wisdom bone stuck in there somewhere.

I gave him one last grin, before turning to leave again. This time I waved Stumpmon one last good-bye before sprinting off towards the direction of the dead plain. I hoped to see him one day again.

As I walked through the dead plain, I noticed how much more heavily the battlefield had sustained. There were pods, machinery and others forms of battle weaponry laid about, discarded after all its use had been maxed out. _Why is there machinery in a battlefield? What is this, some kind of war? _I kept on walking; despite a stanching smell that I was sure was coming from the dead carcasses. _It's so strange._ _Even, if the monsters from the Dark Area scanned all the digimon here, shouldn't their bodies have disappeared? There's something missing here. But what? _I contemplated with my thoughts all the way until I reached the other end of the undergrowth that was this forest. I knew I was in for a ride, but by how much is what got me going.

"It doesn't matter!" I announced to the open space around me. "I'll do whatever it takes to save this world again. Just wait and see Stumpmon, I'll save your…," I paused, "our world!" I shook my head to escape my thoughts, and disappeared past the undergrowth.

**-Tommy's POV-**

"Mmmm…." I moaned, trying to pick myself up from the spot I was laying in. I couldn't figure out what happened to me. One moment ago I saw a bright light, and then the next thing I knew, I blacked out. "So strange," I whispered, while sitting on my butt and cradling my head with my right hand. "Ugh, and I have a massive headache." I groaned for a little, before finally standing up. "Whoa," I squawked, catching myself from falling back to the ground. _My body must still be out of it? _

I heard distant cries coming from a distance. I wondered where I was. I couldn't really see anything since the sky was dark. "It must be night time, "I professed. "Better find some place to hide for the meantime." I knew I was outdoors. How I got to be here in the first place was beyond me, but I knew that staying out in the middle of nowhere was dangerous, especially in the dark. So, I quickly ran for some place to make shelter in, while waiting for the sun to rise.

It didn't take me long to find a nearby cave to settle in. Sure, it was damp and dirty, but it was better than nothing. Besides, I was use to this. Four years ago I had lived in the Digital World for several months before retuning to the real world. Ever, since then, I have grown up much more. _Maybe not as fast as the others,_ I thought. How I really missed the others. I shook my head several times before searching my surroundings. Nothing, but, rocks, twigs and leaves were all I could find. "Maybe, if I dig in a little deeper I'll find something," I reasoned, trying to convince myself that was true. I didn't know what else to do. I was alone, in the dark, in some crummy old cave, with no one else around to help me. "No!" I shouted. I balled my hands into fists. "I won't be weak," I professed. "I have to pretend I was back in the Digital World. I mean, what would Takuya or the others do in a situation like this? They would never let the dark get the best of them".

I began to go further into the cave, closing my eyes whenever I felt I was about to back down. _I can't give up. I have to find something to help me make a fire, or at least a bed to keep myself warm for the night. _I pressed on.

After, a while of scavenging I managed to collect a good amount of dry leaves and twigs, some wood pieces that I can use as a fireboard to start a fire, and others things I thought would be helpful. I placed as much as I could into my backpack, carrying the rest on my arms. I headed back to the front of the cave, knowing not to go to deep. Who knows what lurked beyond the entrance of the cavern.

As soon as I reached the front, I sat down and placed the stuff I collected in my arms down onto the dry dirt. The first idea that came to mind was to start a fire. I learned how to make a fire after joining the _Scout's League of Champions_ back at home right after my friends and I returned from the Digital World. I wasted no time, I began the process.

I found some nearby rocks and began to organize them into a circle to create a foundation for the fire. Once I was done with that, I placed all the dry twigs and leaves on top of the rocks, placed the fireboard on top of that and began creating friction between the fireboard and spindle. Several minutes went by at me tugging, spinning and pretty much beating the spindle between my hands, before finally giving up. The fire refused to light.

"Ah, what's the use," I whined. "Stupid thing won't even make a spark." I kicked some dirt at the rock-based foundation. "I'm thriteen now, and I'm still useless without Takuya and the others. Back in the Digital World, Takuya, Koji Zoe and Koichi knew how to start a fire, and they were all younger than me then. Even JP, who was my age at the time, knew how to start a fire," I began to shout, then stopped myself immediately. I placed my hands over my mouth, sitting idle until I was sure I had not lured anything dangerous. After, a few minutes of waiting, I let out a breath of relief. _That was stupid of me_, I thought. _Thank goodness nothing heard me. The last thing I need is something scary chasing me. Oh, why am I so useless? _I cringed at the last thought. "Why, am I useless?" I repeated aloud.

"You're not useless-s-s-s-s-s…," a voice hissed.

"Wha—," I began to say.

"No, don't worry s-s-s-s-small child. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you." The voice sounded like a snake's.

"I don't need your help," I shouted. "And I'm not a child!" I protested. I couldn't see anything around me, but I knew very well not to trust a stranger. Maybe, when I was younger I would've been easily manipulated, but after spending time in the Digital World, I knew better than to let my guard down.

"No, of cours-s-se not," the voice seemed to echo. "I only meant to lend you a hand."

I could hear the voice as it shifted positions. The owner of the voice must have been moving about. I didn't want to lose courage, but I couldn't help it. I was too scared. I began to back up, not noticing that I was heading deeper into the cave. Once, I was sure that the voice stopped talking, I slowed my pace. I could still hear the hisses, but no other sound. It was then, that I tripped on something and fell. I must have hit myself hard on my head, because the next thing I knew, my vision began to fade. That's when I saw it, a shadow looming over me. I couldn't tell what it was, because my eyes began to fog, but I was sure I was in trouble. "Please…," was all I managed to whisper, before finally blacking-out.

**-Takuya's POV-**

"Where am I?" I shouted. I seemed to be lost. I followed the road that Stumpmon had pointed for me, but eventually, it ended somewhere deep in the woods. At first, I didn't mind since I figured I'd keep going straight. What a lot of help that was because the next thing I knew, I was back where I started; at the end of the road… again. I screamed at first, but then that only made things worse, cause' then I found myself being chased by a Bansheemon, who seemed to have the loudest yell in the world.

After, finally escaping away, I noticed the sun going down. That's when I decided I needed to find shelter, if anything. The Digital World wasn't anything like the first time my friends and I came here. It seemed more dangerous, and the digimon— more hostile.

So, that's where I am right now. Lost. In need of food, shelter and rest. Luckily, for me, no digimon was roused by my shouting. "Man, why can't I make heads or tails about this place?" I whined. "First I'm here, and then I'm there. It's like I'm lost in some never-ending forest or something." I stopped to get a better look at my surroundings. I noticed how quickly the forest became dark. "I must be somewhere south of the Digital World if it's night time already," I reasoned. That was the only explanation I could think of to explain why it got dark so fast in the middle of spring. _If the seasons worked the same as those back in the real world, _I thought.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by a shout coming from the direction behind me. I quickly turned to see where the sound had come from and noticed a cave nearby. _Why hadn't I seen that before? _I thought. I shrugged the thought away, before sprinting towards the location of the cave, confident that that's where I heard the shout come from.

Upon entering the cave, I noticed a body moving in directly in front of me. I couldn't make out a face or anything, but I hoped it was one of the others. I quickly ran towards the body, slowing down a bit as I got nearer. That's when I heard his voice. It sounded so soft, yet scared.

"Please…," was all he managed to say before fainting.

"I stared at the boy, amazed by how fragile he looked in his state. I already knew who it was before kneeling down to get a closer look. "Tommy," was all I managed to whimper out. I closed my eyes, and then reopened them. I placed a hand on Tommy's neck to ensure he still had a pulse and then picked him up, carrying him by the shoulders as I did. I noticed some twigs, leaves and others stuff scattered across the floor next to my feet and quickly realized the situation.

"He must've been trying to start a fire," I reasoned. Luckily for me, I didn't have to go on a scavenger hunt. I placed Tommy next to a wall, so he could lean on it, while I gathered what he collected and arranged them neatly into a pile. While, gathering the materials, I noticed a small foundation made of rocks and others pieces of stone neatly stacked together to create a small pit. I smiled at the sight of it. "Poor Tommy," I whispered. "He really tried his best." I could feel tears well up in my eyes, but before letting them come out, I brushed my face with my arm. This was no time to get sentimental.

I gathered all the remaining materials that I could find, and began to stack them on top of the fireboard. Then I grabbed the spindle nearby and began to profusely spin the wood piece. At first, only tiny sparks came out, but eventually a spark great enough to start a fire emerged and set aflame all the twigs and leaves. The campfire was lighted.

"There you go Tommy," I stated, smiling while I said it. I walked over where he lay and softly placed him on the ground for a better sleeping position. "Now, the both us helped each other out." I managed to let out a sigh, before feeling my eyes get heavy. "Good-night, Tommy," I breathed, closing my eyes as I did. I laid myself next him, before drifting off to sleep.

**-Tommy's POV-**

"Huh." I yawned, before finally looking around. I noticed some burnt leaves on top of the foundation I created yesterday. _Yesterday,_ I thought. _The hiss… was it a dream? _"Doesn't matter," I stated aloud, interrupting my own thoughts purposely. I stretched my arms and legs before standing up. "Ugh, my head," I groaned, clutching my head with my hands. "Again it hurts." That's when I saw it, a person next to me. I turned to look, hoping it was one of the others. Were my hopes answered!

"Takuya," I grinned. I couldn't believe it, one of my friends. _He must been the one who started the fire. _I was glad to have him back. Over the years, I've come to regard Takuya as my second older brother. Sure, I once had Yutaka, but he was always so busy to hang with me. But Takuya, he was always so supportive and kind. I couldn't have wished for a better situation.

Happy with my state, I couldn't help but want to wake Takuya up. I didn't though. I may still be me, but I've grown up since the little Tommy from four years back. Sure, sometimes I still made mistakes, but that didn't mean I wasn't aware of others feelings. Knowing fully that Takuya must still be tired; I decided not to wake him. Instead, I gave him a smile. "Thanks, Takuya. Even though you aren't awake, I still want you to know how grateful I am to have you around." With that, I headed out the cave to look for some food.

**-Takuya's POV-**

"You're welcome," I whispered, after hearing Tommy run off. I had woken up after hearing Tommy call my name. Initially I was going to get up, thinking something had happened to him, but then I thought it over, and waited to see if anything else happened. Luckily, nothing did. I then proceeded to rise from my current position, using my hands to help half my body up. I turned just in time to watch as a shadow faded off into the distance. "Careful, Tom," I breathed aloud.

I knew he hadn't run off on his own. While in the Digital World four years ago, the group had grown accustomed to foraging for food while the rest of us slept. A habit, I suppose, all of us kept even after leaving this world. "Who knew we'd be back," I yawned. I lifted my hands up into the air and began stretching. I pinched the bridge of my nose a little, before finally getting up.

"So, let's see if I can start another fire, before he comes back," I said to myself, while placing a hand on my hip. I walked over to where the stone-pit lay, and began to examine its contents. "Burnt leaves, fused out fireboard and no way of telling whether there's any survivors among these twigs. Oh, well," I howled. I started clearing any remnants left over by the fire, scattering the contents all over the cave. Eventually, I finished up and headed deeper into the cave to look for some more firewood to start another fire.

Some time later…

"Yep, that's the last of it," I hollered, laughing at my own success. I managed to pick up some more firewood, and found some other useful items I could use for tools later on. After, finally deciding to head back to base camp, I looked around only to notice the area I was in. The cave was engraved with cracks, blisters and wounds that suggested there was recent earthquake activity. Not too mention the fact that there was a huge trench-hole in the middle of the vicinity. "I must've gone to deep inside," I admitted to myself, laughing while staring at my location.

All around, lay cracks, peaks and others forms of rigged terrain. I sighed. "Well, I better get back before Tommy notices I've been gone too long". As I walked over the rough terrain, I noticed how much more difficult it was to jump over the small cracks between the ledges, while hauling items in my backpack. I shifted the pack to my left shoulder, before continuing. "Can't give up," I told myself.

Eventually, I was able to cross over the other side of the trench, amazed that I did with not so much as a tiny scratch on me. I climbed up a few ledges more and hiked the rest of the way to the beginning of the cave.

As I emerged to the front of the cave, I began to hear some whimpering and, perhaps, crying? I slowed my walk, careful to make my pacing less audible. I figured it could be Tommy crying, but I wasn't one-hundred percent sure. Even, it was, I didn't know whether it was because he was in danger or in some similar situation. While contemplating with my thoughts, I realized it was neither. What I saw instead, was a middle-statured boy cradling himself in the fetus position, and… weeping. I dropped what I had, including my pack, and ran over to him.

"Hey, Tommy, what's up buddy," I asked, sitting next to him while I did. I knew why he was crying, but I had to find some way to approach him.

"I-I-I'm not crying," Tommy sniffled.

"I didn't say you were," I insisted, holding my hands to the air. I quickly realized how stupid it was to say that, and started to say something again. "I mean, that is, not that there's anything wrong with that," I professed. "If you want to cry, well then go ahead," I began to say, nervously. "Ugh… well I didn't mean you were crying, I just—"

"It's okay Takuya. You don't have to feel bad for me," he muttered. "I know I was. He paused for a few seconds before continuing. "It's just that… well, for a moment there I thought you might have left me." He focused his eyes on his feet, refusing to look at me while he spoke. Then continued, I simply listened. "I know it was stupid of me to think that," he admitted, "but I couldn't help thinking it. I kept saying to myself you'd return, that you just went go find some more firewood or something. Anything really, to make myself believe what I was saying. At first, it seemed to work you know. It seemed to help put me at ease." He began to cry again, but not weep. Just tears. "It really worked," he croaked. "But then as the seconds started to turn to minutes. And the minutes to hours, I got scared. I thought you weren't going to come back."

"Tommy—," I tried saying.

"But you know," he interrupted. "That wasn't the scariest part. No." He wobbled his head –back and forth- as if to shake away all his other emotions then continued. "The sca- the scariest part…," his voice trailed off.

I put my hand on his shoulder to help him. I knew he had to get this off his chest; whatever _it_ was.

He looked at me. With his eyes, he directly shifted his attention to focus on me. I could see it then; all the sadness in his eyes. _Why didn't I see it before?_

He interrupted my thoughts. "I thought I was going to lose you too—," he clamored.

I could feel his body shaking violently. I had to hold him tightly to prevent him from hurting himself. "What do you mean me too?" I asked, hearing the shakiness in my own voice.

"He promised," he wept, tears gushing out from his eyes. "He- he…"

His vehemence was startling. He must have been trying hard to hold back all the emotions he had previously bottled up.

"Tommy, I can't know what you're talking about unless you tell me!" I shouted, hearing the hostility in my voice. I didn't care. I was tired, I was hungry, and frankly there was no other way I could get him to tell me what had been bugging him all this time.

"Takuya," he managed to breath. "I don't want to lose you too."

I stared at him. Finally his violent shaking had ended. But in place of that was something much worse. I looked at Tommy, in his eyes. They were red and puffy from crying. "You can tell me, buddy," I muttered softly.

"Promise you won't tell anyone else." He begged.

I continued to stare at him.

"Promise me, Takuya," he softly repeated.

"Okay," I caved. "I promise not to tell." I placed my right hand over my heart as I said it. He didn't seem to care about that part; just my words.

He nodded, then closed his eyes. I could tell it was hard for him to reveal to me what had been eating at him for so long. Then he finally confessed.

"My brother died…," was all he said.

I stared at him, silent. I've never felt so helpless. I couldn't think of anything to say to him. I didn't have to.

"It was last Christmas," he bellowed. He cringed his eyes shut, trying hard to keep the memories from flooding back. They must have, because he soon started to cry again.

"I-I…," he pounded his fist against the dirt, before continuing. "We were out Christmas shopping. My brother and me. I remember. We were shopping at the Shibuya Mall, buying presents. I- I wanted to go Christmas shopping so bad. So, I convinced my parents to make Yutaka take me to go Christmas shopping with him. He didn't want to," he let out a laugh before continuing. "It's funny Takuya, when you just never know when things will go wrong."

I gazed at him. I saw the sad smile imprinted in his face. He was trying to pull through. It reminded me of when I decided to bury my emotions. I listened only, though. This wasn't about me. This was about him.

"I convinced my brother to take me," he repeated. He balled his hands into fists. "So, he asked me, 'Where'd you like to go Tommy?' Of course I chose the best place I could think of at the time— Shibuya Mall. I knew he didn't really want to go Christmas shopping. He was always so busy, with college work and his job. I thought, you know, that if I could go Christmas shopping with him, we could spend more time together.

His weeping continued.

"So we went," he mumbled. "We were shopping at some clothing store. I was so bored being there, but Yutaka insisted that we buy some clothes for mom and dad. He said that old-folk get cold during winter. He was always like that, even when he was mad at someone. He always considered others feelings before his."

"What happened Tommy?" I interrupted. I knew it was wrong to hurry him up, but if he didn't say it now, he never would.

"I told Yutaka I was bored. I kept whining like the baby that I always am. So he tried to ease my boredom by going to get some chocolate from a nearby sweets store. He promised me he'd be back in a few minutes. I just nodded as I saw him leave.

His weeping grew stronger as he continued. He wasn't shaking. But his hands were beginning to twitch.

"As the minutes went by, I began to grow worried. So I did what my brother once taught me, I tried to shove my worry aside by counting. My brother said it helped him relieve stress. So I did. At first it worked."

_This sounded so familiar_, I thought. _In the beginning… it worked. It always did._

"But then the seconds turned to minutes," he repeated the same phrase again. "Then the minutes to hours. I couldn't stand it anymore. I thought at first he had lied to me. I thought that Yutaka had left me there in the mall on purpose to teach me a lesson or something. I got so angry at the thought that I began to grow mad at him. I was scared, but even more than that, I was angry. Angry at my own brother, for thinking he had left me." Tommy wept.

His body began to shake again. This time I made no motion to hold him. I couldn't. I was frozen.

"So, I left the store," he cried. "And I was ready to leave the mall too, when I saw cops everywhere. At first I thought nothing bad really happened. I tried to convince myself that nothing did. It worked. Again, like always, it worked. For a moment. It was then I realized that Yutaka was gone for so long. I began to panic. I kept thinking to myself, if something happened. What if? I kept asking myself. So, I counted again. The seconds… searching for him. The minutes searching for him… Eventually, a police officer stopped me to ask what I was doing alone. She kept asking me all these questions about whether I'd had known that there was a shooting that took place, and where were my parents."

I looked at Tommy. His face was grim and his skin looked pale. He seemed almost dead. But I couldn't move, nonetheless. I couldn't find myself able to reach out and hold him. I couldn't do anything. Again… I was useless.

"I told her I didn't come with them," he continued, holding his head tightly while he shook." "I told her I came with my brother. She asked me what my brother's name was. I told her. I saw her face grow pale afterwards, then she looked at me and only said, 'I'm so sorry', before grabbing my arm and leading me towards the front of the mall. I couldn't understand what was happening, so I followed her. I kept thinking to myself that she would lead me to my brother." He paused, and placed a hand over his mouth, his eyes growing wide. He let out a loud cry that sounded inhuman.

I stared with horror. His body began to jerk violently, but I only watched, feeling my own tears come down.

"And she did," he screeched. "Only he was dead." Tommy let out a hard cry, followed by more screams.

"Takuya!" he screamed my name, then hugged me so tight, I thought he was going to break into tiny pieces.

"Takuya!" he screamed again while holding me tight. "Takuya, I killed my own brother!" He bellowed and began to shake more violently.

I snapped out of my frozen state and held Tommy tightly. This little boy, this child I have known for over four years, had been harboring so much pain deep inside his heart. I could think of nothing else to say. So I only held on to him; my own tears falling down, onto the dirt beneath us.

"That's when I knew," he cried. "That's when I knew, that the hours would turn to days, and the days to months," he paused, "and the months to years… never ending…"

Never ending… was all he said. We both sat there and mourned the loss of what once was and never will be again.

* * *

**Okay, so the ending might have been a tad too... dramatic? Forgive me if it is. Also, as many of you have noticed, I finally sent two of the six warrior Digidestined to the Digital World. Also, if any of you are wondering where all the fighting, digimon drama and the whole shebang is at? I ensure you it'll be extremely soon (Next Chapter... hint...hint). Any who, you know the drill: comment, review, PM, follow, favorite and all if you love this story and want me to keep continuing it.**

**Also, I'm creating a poll for what characters to use in the near future as the next POVs. I really have no clue which one to do first so any support on your side is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading and look forward to more exciting snippets. Thanks!**


	6. Emotional Reasoning

**Okay, this is the official 5th Chapter, and technical 6th chapter. If you see some parts are hurried up or some parts are a tad bit... dull forgive me. I was out of it today and I was like, "I can't do this right now". I did, though. Any who, enough about me. I'd like to thank anyone who has read and followed my story so far. I greatly appreciate it! Enough of my thoughts... enjoy. Also, for future reference, I might start putting recaps starting the next chapter. I've been thinking of doing that, like three chapters ago. Okay, this time for reals. Enjoy... **

* * *

**-Digital World-Cave, Southern Region-3:25 P.M.-POV: Takuya**

_That's when I knew,_ he cried. _That's when I knew that the months would turn to years… never ending. _I couldn't hold back the tears. I didn't know how. I knew I had to be strong for the both of us, but I couldn't. I wasn't strong… at least, not right now. I was as shaken as he was. _All this time,_ I thought. _All this time, Tommy had been harboring so much pain. All this time, he's been keeping it locked so deep inside. _

"Tommy…," was all I could muster, before letting my voice trail off. I held onto Tommy as he wept, embracing him tightly so he wouldn't hurt himself against the walls of the cave. I knew there was nothing I could do for him at the moment, nothing but hold on to him while he battled this out.

It wasn't too long before he finally collapsed in front of me, exhausted from all the crying and emotional pain he had gone through, recently. That's when I carried him over next to the fire-pit and laid him down nearby. I lighted the pit once more, and gazed at Tommy while he slept.

_Poor kid, _I thought. _All this time, even when we were at the park, he didn't say anything. He just smiled._ It reminded me of that moment a month back on White Day.

* * *

***Flashback***

"Hey, Takuya, Takuya look!" yelled a charming young girl with reddish-pink hair. She'd had been running to me, holding something in her hands, clamoring while she did.

She was wearing a soft-pink dress with buttons in the top, a pair of long white socks and a matching pair of shoes. Her hair had been braided from the ends, curled at the sides and bangs, and laced with a small bow on top. I tried to figure out why she was dressed up.

I smiled back at her. "What's up Mimi?" I yelled, while walking up to greet her. "You sure seem excited," I mused, finally reaching the spot where she stopped to gasp for air.

"I- I…," she panted. She was holding a slip of some kind in her hands, refusing to let me see until she finally managed to catch her breath. "I have these to show you," she exclaimed, holding the paper to my face. "Look what I got for the both of us, Ayu!"

I winced at the name, "Ayu", the nickname she had created for me a while back, from the distortion of the last three letters of my name backwards. I then, proceeded to take the paper, but was stopped by her hand slapping mines away.

"No-no-no," she alliterated. "You have to promise that you'll use this for the best afternoon party ever! No party is good without a promise," she demanded.

Not knowing what she was talking about, I readily agreed. I heard party, and that's all the mattered to me.

"Okay, here you go Ayu. My gift to you." She handed me the paper— well more like grabbed my arm, pressed the paper onto the palm of my hand and rolled my fingers afterwards. "Use it wisely, my love."

I winced again. Love, that word always disturbed me when she used it. I pretended not to mind, and moved my hand away as she released me from her grasp. I stared at the crumpled piece of paper in my hand, for a long while before Mimi spoke again.

"Open it," she giggled, "it's not going to bite." She smiled at me, cupping her chin between her hands, batting her eyes while she waited.

I did as she told me, and began to unfold the paper. After, unraveling the tiny parchment, I read its contents, obviously smiling while I did.

"So, what do you think?" Mimi asked, smiling as she did. She must've known the answer by the expression on my face.

"It's great," I roared. I gave her a kiss on the right cheek, thanking her for the gift she had given to me. I then pulled away, before anything else could happen, and gave her another smile. That's when it started.

"You don't like it?" she muttered, her smile fading away while she said it.

"What?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean, 'I don't like it?' Of course, I do." I countered, trying to reassure her. I held the paper high for her to see, waving it up and down while smiling. Smiling always cheered people up.

"You don't have to lie to me," she cried, pushing my hands down to see my face more clearly. She seemed mad at me for some reason.

"Wha—," I began, "where's all this coming from all of a sudden?" I asked, this time noticing the anger in my voice. _The heck is she talking about?_ I thought at the time.

"I can see it Takuya. Don't lie to me!" she yelled. She stomped her foot on the ground, and crossed her arms next to her chest.

I couldn't think of anything else to say, so instead I grabbed her shoulders, hoping that might bring some sense into her. Boy was I wrong.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, slapping away my hands before backing up. "Can't you see I'm trying to be mad at you?" she looked me sternly in the eye, before breaking away to look elsewhere.

"Mimi," I whispered, being careful not to raise my voice again. "Mimi, I can't understand what's going on, if you don't tell me." I walked a few steps closer to her. "First you're all smiling, then you're mad at me. I can't talk to you if you keep acting like this." I moved a few inches closer to her, stopping once I was close enough to embrace her. I did.

She pushed me away. I simply stared at her, waiting for her to say something. She did. "It's your eyes," she began.

"What?" was all I could say to counter back. I seemed to be doing that a lot; then and now…

"It's you eyes," she repeated. "You say that you're happy, but your eyes betray you," she muttered sadly.

I stared at her. I wondered what she meant by it, so I listened.

She hugged herself before continuing. "Whenever, we are out together, whenever we hang out in general, you're always smiling." She smiled a little, before carrying on. "At first, I thought that it was just you, you know. I thought that maybe you just loved smiling. I mean that's what your friends always say."

"My friends?" I asked. I never could have guessed what she said next.

"That you love smiling," she replied. "But I know that's not true anymore. I noticed it the day we went to see that play, _The Vanity of Mary and Her Marionette_. Every time, I asked you whether you were enjoying the play, you kept smiling at me and saying yes. At first, I believed you, but then as the play went on, I noticed something in your expression— a faraway look. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, until it hit me. My father use to have that same expression, whenever we went to visit mom at _Takasaki Memorial Grounds_."

I stared at her. I couldn't believe what she was saying. I never noticed that in me. That "faraway look" as she described. Not then, at least.

"It's a lonely look," she murmured. "That you have. I can see it in your eyes. You're lonely Takuya."

My eyes grew wide. The words she said must've been true at some level, cause' my heart began to hurt after that; a feeling that I've concealed, ever since. What made it more heart-wrenching was the fact that this was coming from Mimi. I always thought she was sort of ditzy in a way, but I suppose that was her own way of masking her feelings as well. Then it hit me.

"You're lonely too, aren't you Mimi," I whispered. This time, it was her turn to look shocked. She quickly regained her composure.

"I know," she expressed with a smile. She shifted her attention to her feet, refusing to look at me anymore. "You want to know the real reason why I went out with you Takuya?" she posed. "You want to know the real reason I begged you to go out with me?" She looked at me sternly in the eye, and I knew she was serious.

I nodded.

"It was cause' you reminded me so much of someone I once knew a long time ago." She shifted her focus to the area ahead of us. A few kids were playing on some swings, while others were playing tag. They seemed so happy.

"He was a foreign guy," she continued. "I went there once, where he lives I mean. I stayed for a couple of years. I recently returned, so I'm still getting use to living here again." She shook her head to stop herself from going to far off from the story. She then walked over to a nearby bench to sit. She patted the open space next to her, motioning for me to join her.

I did. That's when she continued. "He doesn't resemble you at all, not even your personality," she confessed. "It's only that, you both share the same birthday." She pounded on her head softly, as if to punish herself for thinking such thoughts. "I know it sounds crazy, but I figured that maybe, just maybe, you would be like him in some way. I kept telling myself that when we were going out. But I knew it wasn't true." She stared of into the distance again. I could tell she was thinking about the past.

"Is he dead?" I had to ask. I watched as she nodded, holding her hand to her mouth for support.

"No," she whimpered. She was holding back the tears. "But, he's moved on. That's what makes it so much worse." She rested her hands on her lap. "No, instead I found him cheating on me with one of my best friends. I broke it off with both him and her, but the damage was done."

I stared at my feet this time. I knew I had to gain courage somehow, so I did what came to me naturally. I smiled, a genuine one this time. "Don't worry about it, Mimi." I grinned. I nudged her on the shoulder a little, before letting out a small laugh. "I know it's hard right now, but eventually you'll get over it."

"It's not that easy Takuya," she snapped.

"I never said it was," I parried. "This is something you have to ride out. I know, I get it. But along the way, don't cast yourself more down than you are. You'll only end up hurting yourself."

She looked at me with a weird face. I didn't care. I continued.

"So, this guy left you. Okay, not the best time of your life. That doesn't mean you have to give up."

This time it was her turn to laugh. She let out a good one. "The heck, are you talking about Kanbara!" she howled.

I shrugged. I knew she understood what I meant, but I was glad she was smiling again. "See," I jested. "You can laugh sometimes."

She punched me playfully on the shoulder. "I know that idiot," she joked. "I never said I was going to give up on life. That'll only make me suicidal."

We laughed for several hard minutes, ignoring the weird looks and glances that we were receiving from the people around us. I was the first to interrupt the moment. "So anyways," I chuckled, "you still want to hold that afternoon party?"

She stopped herself short, clutching her ribs while she did. "No…" was all she managed to say. She allowed herself several more seconds, before finishing her sentence. "It's over between us. No offense Takuya, I like you and all. I mean you're hot and stuff, but I don't think I can go on with this. Not after today." She picked herself up from the bench, the sun shining on her face, and removed the bow on her head to let her hair down. She looked more beautiful that way.

She noticed me looking intently at her and joked about it. "I know you still want this," she playfully bantered while gliding her hand from the top of her body to her feet in a slow manner. "But, sorry, all of this right here," she pointed at herself," is for another man. I think I might go for another blonde one. I seem to love those," she finished off.

I laughed at what she said— blonde. It was hilarious, but I was glad too. Her face looked lively again, I thought. That was good.

"Oh, by the way Takuya, I've been meaning to ask you since I came out here. Did you forget today was White Day?" she pressed.

I was stunned. My face grew grim and I couldn't think of anything to say. I began to mumble some stuff, gesticulating while I did. I honestly forgot that it was White Day.

"Ahaha," she laughed. "Don't worry about it dummy. Did you forget were not together anymore. I could care less what you're wearing today. I'm only letting you know for future reference. Not every girl is as forgiving as me Takuya. Especially, a certain blonde cheerleader, with an obsession for pink, oh, what was her name…," she pretended to pause for a few seconds. "Ah, that's right, Zoe," she jokingly announced.

"What," I shouted. Some pedestrians passing by stared at me like I was some weirdo. I waited until they left, before continuing. "How did you know I like Zoe?" I whispered into her ear.

"Relax," she mused, while pushing me away. "I'm not going to squeal. Besides, I'm pretty sure you're waiting for the right moment. Whenever you finally have the bal—,"

"I do have them," I interrupted, not realizing what I was saying. Once I noticed what I had said, I felt my face grow hot. _Mimi's really grinding me here_, I thought. Then it hit me. "Wait, if you knew I liked Zoe, then why go out with me?"

She turned to face me. "We've gone through this Takuya. You reminded me of someone I once knew, I used you, blah-blah-blah, get over it," she alliterated.

"Oh, well okay." I readily accepted, happy that I was a free man again. Although I still couldn't get pass the part of her saying I looked lonely. It really did a number on me. Mimi must've guessed what I was thinking, because' then she offered me some advice to distract my thoughts.

"If you like Zoe," she began, "then just make sure you're ready before finally admitting it to her. The last thing she needs is some guy unprepared both emotionally and mentally. Maybe physically you are," she joked while staring at me, and I was pretty sure, she was undressing me with her eyes, while she said it.

She shook her head. "Anyways, to make this shorter than we already have," she stated sarcastically, "how about I end it here." She began to wave me a good-bye.

"So suddenly?" I asked.

She turned to face me one more time. "Oh, Takuya," she chuckled vainly. "My love can only be held for so long." With that, she continued walking away.

It was only after she had been a good distance that I remembered. "Mimi," I shouted after her. "What about your award money!" I waved the paper into the air for her to see.

"Keep it," she shouted back. "Tell your friends I gave it to you, then you broke up with me or something. Tell em' I want them to have a bitc—,"

I couldn't hear what she said after that. I shrugged. "Oh, well," I spoke aloud. I stared at the piece of paper in my hand, glancing at its contents again. "I know exactly what to do with this money," I announced. I folded the paper neatly, and then placed it in my coat pocket. "But, first, I have to go cash it in." I made my way out of the area I was in, and crossed some thresholds before finally getting into my car and driving home.

With that, the memory faded away…

***Flashback Ends***

* * *

_I can see it in your eyes…_ she said. _…You're lonely Takuya._ I replayed the memory in my mind, repeating the words over-and-over. "I'm an idiot." I admitted aloud, pounding my head, softly against the wall. I stopped only after I started to get dizzy. I rose from the spot I was sitting in, and made my way to the front of the cave.

I sat a little ways outside, to stare up and look at the stars. Though it was still day time, evening began to roll in, so the earliest stars had become visible. _They're so bright tonight_, I thought. I closed my eyes, and imagined myself soaring through them. _Four years ago, my friends and I had gone to two of the three moons in the Digital World._ That's when my eyes shot open. "How, could I not see it before?" I looked up again at the stars, looking for the three moons: the red one, the blue one and the yellow one. Instead I found something else, which seemed to have confirmed my sudden suspicion. I found a white moon. Although this moon resembled the one back home, the notable difference between it and the real one, is that this moon contained no craters. No visible ones at least.

"Where are we?" I began to question, when suddenly, I heard ruckus coming from a nearby bush. I stood up fast. "Who's there?" I shouted, placing my two feet firmly on the ground. I wasn't about to back down.

The bush continued to move, but no other sound was made. Whoever was hiding, obviously was trying to intimidate me, or so I thought. I wasn't about to let them have the satisfaction. I charged towards the bush, jumping as soon I came near it, preparing to slam down on whoever was trying to scare me.

_BAM! _The noise echoed through the forest.

I may have suddenly charged at a would-be opponent without so much as a thought on it, but I could think of nothing better than that. I rolled on my side after clashing with whatever I did.

"Oww… ugh now my heads going to start hurting again. Ugh…," the voice sounded familiar.

"Huh," was all I said. I rummaged through the bushes, wondering who it was exactly that I charged at. My face lightened up. "Zoe!" I shouted. She seemed angry.

"Oh, my head. Ugh… Takuya, what's your problem. Why did you rush at me like that?" She sat herself in the squatting position.

"I'm sorry, Zo," was all I could say. The situation had definitely turned.

"You're sorry. Is that all you have to say for yourself?" she screamed. She quickly rose from her squatting position, towering over me, while I lay on my ass. "You may think you're going to get away with this Takuya, but you're not." She jabbed at my shoulder with her index finger. "My hairs ruined, my clothes are wet, I feel all musty and now on top of that, my head hurts," she screamed so more.

"Zoe," I shouted, then grabbed her hand, which she kept using to jab at me.

"Don't you dare grab me right now Takuya," she yelled. She pulled her arm back from my grasp, rubbing it after she did.

_Guess I don't know my own strength._ "Zoe, listen," I muttered, pushing the thought away. "You have to be quiet. If you don't, some digimon might come after us."

"I'm not going to be quiet, no the least the way you— wait," she realized, "did you say digimon?" She looked at me, stunned after hearing my words.

A few seconds went by.

"Well?" she snickered, placing a hand on her hip. She stared at me, waiting for me to answer.

I rose from my sitting position and nodded. Her face lit up.

"_Che piacere_!" she spoke in Italian.

"What?" I had no idea what she just said. She moved in closer to me, then hugged me. I had to carry her, or else she would've made me fall.

"It means, how delightful," she yammered, while still hugging me. She must have forgotten that I charged after her.

"Hey, Zo, you know what?" I chimed, taking advantage of her happy moment. "You're much lighter than you look." I laughed a little, but then quickly realized what I said; but before I could make a comeback, she hit me hard on the stomach. I felt the air come out of me for a second as I cringed, dropping her accidentally.

"Ugh…," she silently vexed, but quickly recovered. "Call me something stupid again, and I'll hit you farther down south," she yelled.

"But, I didn-n't cal-l yo-u anything," I stammered, holding my stomach tight. The blow must've really hit hard. _No way was she able to hit me that hard_, I thought. "What the hell did you hit me with? Man, my stomach." I felt like I was about to throw up.

"Hmmm. Oh, with this," she nonchalantly pointed out, then raised her hands. She had been holding some rocks in her hand.

"The fuu—," I winced. "The fuc— fu—," I barely managed to breath. "What are you doing with- with rocks Zoe?" I groaned, clutching my sides. I definitely was about to throw up.

"Well," she pressed her two index fingers together. "I heard some noise and got scared. Then I saw you, but I didn't really see you, I thought you were a random man or something. Anyway, I grabbed some rocks and hid in the bush that you crashed in." She dropped the rocks to the ground, and then continued. "Besides, it serves you right. Now we're even. You hit me in the head, and I hit you in the stomach."

"You hit me with rocks," I groaned, crawling to a nearby bush. I knew what I was about to do.

I threw up on the nearest bush I could find. _Bleh!_

* * *

**-Zoe's POV-**

Takuya may have thought I'd forgotten about him charging at me like he did, but I sure as hell didn't. Sure it wasn't too rough, but he still was a man. _He may not see it, but he is stronger than he thinks, _I thought, while looking at the bruise that was beginning to form in my wrist. I ignored the thought while I watched Takuya crawl over to a nearby bush. _What's he doing? _I inwardly laughed. He looked so funny. That's when I heard it.

_Bleh!_

All my anger subsided. Sure, I was still angry at him, but I do feel bad for hitting him with the rocks. _Maybe, my revenge was too harsh_, I thought. Pushing my thoughts away, I ran over to where Takuya was laying, and held him. He seemed dazed.

"Zoe?" he murmured.

"Yea," I breathed softly. Takuya looked like he was about to faint any moment. Now I really felt bad. To be honest though, when I hit him with the rocks, I had completely forgotten I was holding them.

"I- I have to- to tell you something," he stammered, his eyelids twitching, trying to shut themselves.

"What is it," I replied, holding his hand close to my cheek.

"I l-l-l," he stammered once more. He seemed like he was trying to say something important, but before he could finish it, he fainted.

"You l- what," I shouted at him, slapping his cheeks to wake him up again. I wanted to know where he was going with it. _Was he going to say he loves me?_ I reasoned. I tried waking him up again, but still no hope. I already knew he wasn't going to wake-up for a while. But still I wanted to believe what I thought he might have been trying to tell me.

After shaking him several more times I gave up. Instead, I looked up and for the first time, noticed the cave in front of us. "How long has that been there?" I asked aloud.

I made the motion to walk over to it, but then quickly remembered Takuya was still knocked-out. "Ugh…," I whined. "How am I going to carry you inside?" I asked, while staring at the unconscious Takuya. "Great," I exasperated, flinging my arms to the air, while I did.

I walked to where he lay, and tried picking him up. "Uhhhh," I whined. "My goodness Takuya, how much do you weigh?" I groaned. _If I could digivolve to Kazemon, this would have been a breeze._ "Haha," I laugh out loud at my own pun. I regained my composure, and looked at the sleeping boy next to me. _He looks so cute sleeping_, I thought. I felt myself blushing, but didn't bother to try hiding it. No one is around to notice.

After a few more stares at Takuya, I attempted to bring him into the cave again, this time— by dragging him. I initially disregarded dragging, since that meant dirtying his clothes, but given the circumstance, I didn't really care.

I went over to where he lay and began to drag him by the foot, noticing how much harder that proved to be. Despite his athletic appearance, Takuya weighed way more than I thought.

I don't know how I did it that night, but after several tugs, pulls, moans and groans, I managed to drag him well into the cave. I then placed him near a wall.

After stretching myself from all the pulling I had done, I began taking in my surroundings. That's when I noticed a small campfire, and—

"Tommy!" I yelled. I ran over to where he lay, checking to see if he had been hurt. He wasn't. "Takuya must've been taking care of him," I reasoned. I examined him further, in case I missed something. I didn't; that's when I stopped, to really take a good look at him. I noticed how much he has changed. He wasn't the small little boy I first met four years ago. He was still small, but not too short. He seemed to be catching up to me from what I last remember. Not only that, I also noticed all the small details that happened when a boy was growing through puberty. Something I didn't really want to think about with Tommy, but alas, it was unavoidable.

Finishing up my thoughts, I placed myself next to him, sitting down on my butt while I waited for either of the two to wake. I closed my eyes to get some rest. The next thing I knew, I fell asleep.

The next morning…

* * *

**-Digital World-Cave, Southern Region**

The cave was fairly lit. At first sight, it may have looked worn, beaten and bruised by natural occurrences. But a closer inspection suggested otherwise. The cave, if looked at from a certain angle, revealed to be, quite uniformed. Meshed out, and layered to house something. The cave was someone's home.

"_Awake my pet"_ a voice hissed. "_Awake_, _and bring glory to your mas-s-s-s-s-ter."_ The hissing continued, creeping its way into the roots of the cave, bringing life to what wasn't there. Suddenly the walls began to shake.

"Mmm… mah—," a voice echoed. A great beast from the earth had awoken from deep within the cave. It's cry shaking everything in sight.

"My bes-s-t wis-sh-sh-es to you, young destined children… for my pet cometh, with a s-s-s-strong appetite…," the voice hissed, fading away soon afterwards; leaving in its wake, a ferocious monster.

The front of the cave…

A boy, who was on the verge to manhood, sat cross-legged, lighting a fire while waiting for his friends to wake. He seemed preoccupied by distant thoughts, but was soon interrupted by the trembling of the earth beneath him.

"What the—," Takuya clamored, falling backwards on his back. The trembling in the cave grew louder, as Takuya quickly rose from his spot to go wake his friends. He didn't have to.

"Takuya—," Tommy shouted, who was the second to wake up, "what's happening?" Tommy made the motion to run over to where Takuya was standing, but tripped on a newly created crack on the floor.

"Tommy, be careful!" Takuya shouted. He stood rigid, walking slowly to prevent the earth from tripping him.

The cave seemed to shudder, as the walls began to crumble, with distinct moans being heard from the front of the cavern and back. Something was coming their way.

_ROAR!_ A growl echoed through the cave.

"What was that," Takuya questioned. He looked over where Tommy lay, and nodded. "Tommy, I need you to try to get up and walk out of the cave. I think there's something here!" he shouted.

"Okay," Tommy shouted back. He quickly stood up and mimicked Takuya, by pacing his walk. He leaned against the walls for better support, but soon stumbled on something. "What the—," he gasped when he saw what had tripped him. "Zoe!" he shouted. He tried shaking her to wake her up, but she remained unconscious. "Takuya," he yelled, to grab his older friend's attention.

"Yea, what is it buddy?" Takuya hollered back, leaning against the wall as well. He was almost to the front of the cave.

"I think I found Zoe, but she's not waking up. I think something might have knocked her out," he yelled back.

Takuya's eyes grew wide. _How could I forget about Zoe? _He thought. He shifted direction, and headed towards Tommy and Zoe, pacing while he did. "Tommy, I need you to do something," he shouted at his friend. "I need you to try and drag Zoe as close to me as you can."

Tommy looked to see where Takuya was, and saw him coming closer. He nodded at him, then proceeded to drag Zoe. Maybe, when he was little it would have been much harder, but now that he was older, he was able to drag Zoe. _I may not be able to carry you Zoe_, he thought, _but at least I can pull you with ease._ He pulled his friend as much as he could, avoiding the splitting earth and falling rocks that seemed to be trying to hinder his movement.

"Okay, that's it buddy, a little closer," Takuya shouted at his friend to support him. He continued to pace himself towards Tommy's direction, eyeing any fallen rocks that could knock him out as well.

After a few more steps from both ends, Tommy was able to reach Takuya, but not before a few rocks managed to damage his upper left shoulder and back. He winced at the pain, but ignored it, pulling Zoe as far as he could.

"Okay, that's it. I'll take it from here Tommy," Takuya told his young friend. "You just make your way outside." Takuya then picked Zoe up, where Tommy had laid her, and began to walk towards the front of the cave. Tommy walked alongside him.

"Tommy, I need you to walk towards the front of the cave, buddy. I need you to hurry," he stammered a bit. He was still aching from yesterday's pain, and he had received new cuts and scrapes from falling rocks that had bruised him on his back, shoulders and legs.

"I'm not leaving your side Takuya," Tommy argued.

Takuya looked at his friend, then remembered what had happened the previous day. He smiled at him. "All right, if you're going to stay by my side, I need you to be careful."

Tommy nodded, and then began to make his way towards the front of the cave. Takuya followed closely behind.

As they reached the opening that led to the outside, the ground behind them began to cave.

"Takuya look," Tommy shouted, while pointing towards the direction behind him.

Takuya looked where his friend was pointing, noticing what had alarmed him. Deep beneath the earth, something was sucking the cave down-under. His eyes widened in horror, but quickly he regained his focus. He then looked at Tommy. "Tommy, this is no time to be brave, I need you to run quickly towards the front of the cave."

"But, what are you going to do?" Tommy asked his friend. He knew he could make it on his own to the front of the cave, but that wasn't what worried him. He looked at Takuya, and saw how badly bruised he was. Not to mention that he was still carrying Zoe in his arms, and the backpacks on his back.

"Don't worry about me," he clamored. "I'll be fine, but I need you to go now!" Takuya pushed his friend with his leg, wincing as he did.

Tommy stared at him back.

"Now, Tommy!" Takuya demanded.

Tommy nodded his head and made a dash towards the opening of the cavern. He managed to make it the front of the cave, turning back quickly to see whether Takuya was closer or not. He hadn't seen it before, but upon looking twice at him, Tommy noticed how badly cut Takuya was. His legs were swollen, his arms had large amounts of blood coming out of them and his clothes were ripped all over revealing even more cuts and scrapes on his chest and stomach. "Takuya," Tommy shouted, "you can do it." He was worried for him.

Takuya, hearing Tommy's shouts, nodded his head to reassure his friend. He then paced his walk even more, wincing and moaning from the pain that was increasing in his body. _I have to get out of here,_ he thought. _I have to get out of here for Tommy. He needs me. _Takuya made his way to the front of the cavern, almost reaching the opening, before finally the ground in front of him began to cave. He groaned. _Damn and I was so close. _

Tommy, who had seen the smile on Takuya's face, quickly realized what his friend was about to do. Having seen the widening trench between where Takuya stood and the front of the cave, Tommy begged his friend. "Takuya, no you can do this. Try to jump it."

"I can't," Takuya yelled back, smiling while he did. "I can't while I'm still holding Zoe. If I jump, then the both of us will fall under." Takuya quickly stated, making his decision before the ground widened more.

"You can make it, Takuya please!" Tommy yelled back.

"Take care of Zoe, okay? Don't give up looking for the others too, I have faith in you Tommy."

Tommy saw as Takuya threw Zoe, charging after her, before she could fall into the dark abyss that was the trench. He managed to pull her up, but as well saw as his friend fell through screaming at the top of his lungs. He screamed back, "Takuya! NOOOO!" before his friend disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

**This chapter was hard for me to write, I admit right now. I don't know why, but I definitely was not in the mood to write today. As I previously stated, if you see any parts that don't make sense, are dull , etc. please let me know. I need to fix those areas. Also, another important fact, I will be re-updating chapters 1, 2 and possibly 3 to increase their length and story progression. Especially chapter 1, after reading it, I realized I really need to make that chapter more enticing. As they always say, "The beginning of the book is always the most important." **

**Also, to let you guys know, like the previous, three chapters (was it? or four?) I have not proofread this one. I am extremely lazy to do that, so any mistakes, please forgive me for them. I will go back some day to update on them, but for now, that won't be. Also, I know the part about Zoe hitting Takuya with the rocks, and causing him to faint seems a little unrealistic (I mean who faints with just rocks? Right?). But I added that part on purpose for a reason. Which I haven't gotten too, yet.**

**Any how, I left the poll up for what characters you guys would like to see in the next POVs, etcetera-etcetera. Without a vote, I'll keep mindlessly picking the ones I think might work, but if you guys have a preference, be sure to vote on my profile. Also, as promised I have started the adventure of butt-kicking, digimon adventuring haliboo. Which will be introduced even more along with some (read the bottom of this footnote for the spoiler alert correlating with this sentence.)**

**Okay, you know the drill, again: don't forget to comment, PM, review, follow and/or favorite if you like this story. Honestly though really, cause' if the story sucks I can discontinue it and/or revamp it completely, just say the word (seriously though, I mean like if no one likes it type of thing. Not just a few people). Thanks as well, for all the wonderful reads and I hope you look forward to the next chapter. Which will be more updated than this one.**

**_SPOILER ALERT_: Romance in the upcoming chapter.**


	7. A Loss and a New Redemption

**Okay, here's another long chapter. If it's not long, well then it seemed long when I was writing it. I do have a warning to say, before anyone reads this story. WARNING: The following content is rated T for Teens, and will be taken as such. Viewers discretion is advised. If you have any... problems, then don't read it. Just kidding, but seriously, there's a reason why I rated this story as T. Sometimes I feel like it deserves an M, but I know it doesn't. Although from this point on, this story will start living up to that T rating. No, not just romance-wise (although that is a major ball player), but also for the other genre's as well. I need to. The story will start picking up from here, with some gruesome details of murder, vengeance and, and... just kidding again. But, again, seriously, it is rated T. Well anyways, enough of my rambling. Enjoy. **

* * *

**Okay remember when I stated that from now on I'll be doing recaps? Well here is the first one. Warning: Still in beta-testing, so don't criticize me on it. Recap: Takuya hears Tommy's dreadful story, causing him to go back into his own memory relapse. After hearing the true side of his ex-girlfriend Mimi, Takuya realizes that he may be lonely deep inside. Then Takuya meets up with Zoe, earning him pound to the stomach causing him to faint. From this point on the three: Tommy, Takuya and Zoe face a greater enemy that wishes to destroy them. But before being able to see him, Zoe is knocked out, Tommy is left alone, and Takuya is sucked under the earth, separating Zoe and Tommy from Takuya. Find out how they will reconnect again. **

* * *

**-Digital World-Southern Region-Tommy's POV**

I could hear the birds chirping as the sun hit my face. I smiled, letting the warmth seep deep down, while hugging myself to keep warm. Despite the sunlight burning bright, the air around felt like a biting sting. I remembered Takuya mumbling to himself about it being autumn here, even though it was spring time back home.

_Takuya_, I thought, feeling sad. How he had sacrificed himself to throw Zoe to my side of the ledge, only to be sucked down-under before he could jump across himself.

_Take care of Zoe_, he said_. …I have faith in you_. I kept thinking about the way he screamed. It echoed through my mind. I couldn't do anything to save him. _Just like Yutaka_, I thought. I couldn't do anything then… I can't do anything now. Tears began to pour out from my eyes. I tried holding them back, but the memory of Yutaka's death kept replaying in my mind. There was nothing I could do. There really was nothing special about me.

"Do not think that my young child," a deep voice hissed, sending a stinging feeling down my spine.

"You're the Warrior of Ic-c-c-c-ce," it hissed, the voice coming closer as it spoke. I stood up quickly, afraid of the hissing that seemed to be coming from all sides. I grabbed the nearest object I could find— a flimsy stick.

"Don't be afraid my friend," the voice hissed once more, sending another chill down my spine. I could feel my nerves tense. I held back the need to want to run, trying my best not to seem frightened. I looked around trying to find the owner of the voice, but failed to find a form of any kind. That's when I saw a dense fog loom over the sky, blocking all the light in its path. My eyes grew wide.

"Do not run, young boy," the voice called, growing more intense as the fog came closer. I shifted my focus to Zoe, who had still been knocked out, and now lied on the ground, resting.

_Like I would ever run_, I thought. _Zoe still needs me._

"Ah, but does she?" the voice mocked.

I stared as the fog in front of me began to take shape. "Of course she does," I shouted at the mist. I froze afterwards, finally acknowledging what happened, only a moment ago. _How did he know I was thinking of Zoe_? I thought.

"I know everything about you, Tommy," the voice hissed. The fog in front of me began to take shape, until finally it formed into a man. He seemed to be wearing nothing, but the mist as attire; he looked pale and sickly.

"Who are you," I shouted at the man, raising the stick I was holding, to the air. The man stretched out an arm, revealing bony fingers and an insignia carved into his hand. The insignia resembled a cross with shards piercing it on all four corners.

"Your friend," the man replied, keeping his arms extended. He let out a small laugh, before unfolding his hand to reveal a tiny badge of some kind.

I dropped the stick I was holding, focusing on his hand. I was drawn in by what I saw.

"Take it," he enticed, shaking his hand as he did. "Take it, and imprison all the pain in your heart. Take it, and let your sorrows drown themselves," he hummed. "For only then, may you truly unlock, the power hidden within yourself"

"Unlock… my power?" I questioned. I began to feel my eyes grow heavy. I couldn't concentrate. Everything around me seemed to fade away; the man, being the only thing I could see clearly.

"Ye-s-s-s-s," the hissing began once more. "You're the destined child of ice. You must let your heart reflect your spirit, for only then may you realize your true potential."

"True potential…?" I repeated back. I gazed at him, motioning myself towards the shadowy figure. I didn't know why, but suddenly, his being here seemed welcoming.

"There now my child, let yourself become the true warrior, that I know is inside you." The man grasped me, as I came closer, holding me with his free hand. _Is it a hand? _I thought.

"Exc-c-cellent," the man purred. "Now," he continued, "take this token, as my appreciation of your joining me." He pulled at his hand again, showing me the emblem that rested on his palm.

I stared at the small object in his hand. I couldn't see it clearly, but there was a tiny symbol engraved in the middle of the emblem. It matched the insignia on the shadowy man's hand.

"Lovely, is-s-s-sn't it?" the man hissed. He lifted his hand closer to my face, gliding it about. "Take it," he started again, "for only then, may your heart turn to ice."

Upon hearing his words, I grabbed the emblem from his hand. The object began to shine. It felt hot in my hands, yet cold at the same time. "Is this the true power of ice?" I asked the man groggily.

"Only if you let it become a part of you," he hissed.

I looked up to see his face, but only saw darkness. His face was enshrouded in dark mist. "I don't understand?" I questioned. I shifted my gaze back at the small object in my hand. It seemed to be glowing.

"You must hold it to your heart. It must become one with you," he beckoned.

I nodded, then looked at the object once more, before finally placing it between my chest. At first it burned, but then as the emblem settled inside me, I began to feel cold. Only this time, I didn't shiver. _In fact_, I thought, _I don't feel the chilling air anymore. _

"That's because you've unlocked the true power of your spirit, Tommy," the man whispered. "Now come," he commanded, "we have a lot of training to do." He backed away to the dense fog directly behind us, motioning for me to join him.

I looked back at the spot where Zoe lay, my vision clear again, and shook my head. "Good-bye Zoe," I uttered aloud. "Take care of yourself." I waved her one last good-bye before joining the man in the fog.

I could feel the mist pull me away, leaving behind no trace of us ever being there.

* * *

**-Digital World-Digital World, Southern Region-Zoe's POV**

I could hear a few birds as I awoke from my slumber. "Yahhh," I yawned. I stretched my hands and legs, then walked over to where my things lay. "Well that's strange," I spoke aloud. I gawked at the damage that was done to my backpack, which had been: torn, muddied and apparently, rummaged through before. I emptied its contents, only to find a few materials worth using: some make-up, my binder and two boxes of matches that I used for burning the tips of my eyeliner-pencils. _Well not anymore_, I thought, _I need the matches for more important things like lighting fire-pits._ I picked up one of the laces I had, and tied my hair back, then shoved the rest of the stuff back in my backpack. I stood up, and then began scanning my surroundings, quickly noticing the cave I was once in. It had caved in. _What happened? I questioned. _I walked over to the destroyed grotto, trying to find some clues of what could have possibly gone on before I fell asleep.

Before I fell asleep, I thought. "Wait, that's it," I remembered. "I was with Takuya, and… Tommy!" I shouted. I remembered now. I woke up in the middle of the night and found Tommy sleeping next to me. That's when I decided to put out the campfire Tommy must have set up. "Ah, that explains why my backpack looked messy inside," I spoke aloud. I examined the cave-entrance a little further, before finally deciding there was nothing to be found there.

"Where are they anyways?" I asked aloud. I didn't want to believe they were gone. Not in the slightest. I shook my thoughts, then began looking for them in nearby places. Several minutes of searching had gone by, before my stomach growled. "Oh, not now," I whined at my stomach. "I have to find Takuya and Tommy," I grumbled at it. I pressed on.

A few minutes went by, before my stomach growled again. "Although," I cried, "I could use some food in me. Besides, I can't look for the others on an empty stomach." Finally, convincing myself, I changed my focus to finding food. I was use to foraging; I had done it back at cheerleading camp and the Digital World. _Wait, that right_, I suddenly remembered. _I _am_ back in the Digital World. _

_Grrrr,_ my stomach growled again, interrupting me from my thoughts. "I know, I know," I spoke to it. I resumed my search for food. That's when I saw it, some mushrooms laid about. I quickly dashed to them, picking one up and swallowing it before I could taste it. I kept picking some more and eating them as fast as the first, until a voice stopped me short from eating the fifth mushroom.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" a sharp voice shouted.

I turned around to see who had shouted, and found myself face-to-face with a yellowish cube, with purple hands and feet and a large head to match. He resembled a mushroom. "What?" I questioned, while putting the fifth mushroom in my mouth. I was too hungry to care what anyone said.

"Nnn," the mushroom creature croaked. "There you go, doing it again!" he yelled, despite him being right in front of my face. "Have you no decency?" he yammered, slapping my hand, which caused me to drop the mushrooms I picked up.

"What was that for?" I shouted back, irritated that this tiny mushroom-man had ruined my small meal. I beamed at him, not backing down. _Digimon or not_, I thought, _this punk was not going to get away with it._

"You are a monster!" he yelled, while pointing at me.

"What did you just call me?" I yelled back. "Listen you," I jabbed at him, "you may be a digimon, but if you keep yelling at me, I won't be afraid to show you a thing or two!"

"Oh, yeah!" He pushed against me.

"Yeah!" I pushed back.

"Well, what are you gonna' do?" he smirked. "C'mon, show me".

I stared at him wide-eyed, amazed at his courage. He was so tiny, yet he still had the guts to not back down. Not that I was bullying him or anything, but the situation seemed too funny. I couldn't help it, I began to laugh. He stared at me weirdly.

"What's wrong with you, you on some kind of mental-state or something?"

I kept laughing, falling on my butt while I did. I don't know why, but maybe that's all I needed— a good laugh. I was stressed, or at least, was.

"Sorry," I apologized, once I regained my composure. I wiped a tear that formed on the corner of my eye, then stared back at the talking mushroom in front of me. "I couldn't help it," I continued, "you just looked so funny being tough and all. Especially, considering you're so small," I joked.

He stared back at me, then chuckled a bit. "So, you think I'm too tiny to fight ya' eh? Is that what you're saying?" He planted his feet firmly on the ground, seeming ready to strike at any moment.

"Oh, no-no-no," I reiterated, before things became hostile. "I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that you have a lot of courage for a little guy." I threw up my hands to show him I didn't want to fight. He eyed me suspiciously.

"I don't get it," he vexed. "If you don't want any trouble, then why eat the royal mushrooms that belong to the forest kingdom?" He scratched his head, in puzzlement.

"Royal mushrooms?" I began. "What's this about royal mushrooms, and forest kingdoms?" I asked. I sort of figured what was going on when he said "belong" and "kingdom", without a "don't" in-between, all in the same sentence; although, I had to pretend I didn't, to seem more believable.

"Wha—," he began, then stopped himself short. "You've never heard of the royal mushrooms that only grow on "treasure soil", as most of the kingdom puts it?" He eyed me carefully, to make sure I wasn't lying.

I nodded my head.

He continued to eye me suspiciously, until finally lowering his defense.

"Hm. I forgive you this time, but next time, don't let me find you eating another royal mushroom, got it?" he asked me sternly.

"I won't even think about it," I vowed, holding my hand to my heart.

"Very well," he approved. "Any how, if you really wanted to eat a royal mushroom, all you have to do is gain permission from the kingdom."

"Really?" I pretended to be interested. _At least I can try getting on his good side, _I thought.

He nodded. "If you really want to eat some royal mushrooms," he began, " you have to first gain permission from the royal commoners association, then you have to… then you must… then with my… then with their… and finally… or was that… no wait, that's it… you have…,"

I listened, counting the seconds that passed by, while he rambled.

"Then you have to…," he continued, "then you… by the… royal advisor… who… and then—,"

"Wow!" I shouted to interrupt him. I didn't care. I was tired, dirty, hungry, and now, slightly annoyed. "You sure seem to know a lot about the kingdom's policies?" I pretended to be excited, while clasping my hands together.

He grinned back. "Well I only am the 514th ranked soldier on the Advent of Justice's, Board of Heroes," he announced proudly. Grinning even more, if that was possible.

"Board of Heroes?" I asked curiously. Tired of sitting on my butt, I stood up, towering over the tiny little mushroom man.

"Yep!" He stood on top of a rock, to face me at eye-level. "And you wanna' know what else," he clamored, ready for me to ask him what, so he could tell me.

I shrugged. _Why not? _I thought. "What?" I squealed, acting giddy while I said it. It didn't really matter to me whether he was first or last on the advent list, but he seemed so psyched about it, so I thought, why ruin his moment? Besides, this gave me the chance to figure out exactly what was going on. I figured I had returned to the Digital World, with more of a purpose, than a simple reason as— only visiting.

"If you get to the 500th spot, you get to be ranked with the League of Knights, who are then drafted at the 200th rank to the Royal Council's of either the: Fire, Water, Earth, Light, Thunder, Wood… ugh…," he counted his fingers.

The mention of the elements caught my interest. "The what?" I clamored, leaning closer to him. I eyed him sternly.

He gazed back at me, then continued counting his fingers. "I can't seem to remember. Let me see," he continued," there's the Fire Kingdom, the Water Kingdom, the—,"

"Thunder, Wind, Wood, Ice, Earth, Dark, Light and Metal Kingdom's, is that were you going to say?" I interrupted him. I didn't want to interrupt him, especially when he was so psyched about his advent rant, but I needed to understand the situation I was in.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's it," he smiled, happy that I did the counting for him. "Now let me see, where was I?" he paused, thinking about where he left off.

I couldn't wait for him to remember. "You," I interrupted his thoughts. I need to ask you something." I watched as his expression changed. I thought he might be mad at me again.

"You?" he asked. "My name's not you." He gave me a weird look, then continued. "It's Mushroomon," he stated proudly.

"Sorry," I apologized. I had ease into this more carefully, if I wanted to find out anything. _He may have the short-attention span of a fish, but he still has feelings_, I thought. "It's just," I began, "when you started talking about the different elemental kingdoms, I guess I got kind of excited." I stated nervously, holding my hands behind my back.

"It's okay, I understand," he assured. "It's not uncommon for other digimon to forget us Mushroomon. Pretty digimon like you always forget us, if not now, then later." He frowned for a second, then smiled at me again.

"I'm not a digimon," I stated matter-of-factly. "And thanks for the compliment. I am pretty aren't I?" I vainly joked. I'm not conceited; I was simply pestering Mushroomon, to lighten his spirits. He seemed sad so suddenly. Not that he needed my help; he seemed to manage smiling on his own.

"Wait," he cried. "You're not a digimon?" he asked, his face lighting up in the process. He pressed himself against me, eyeing me closely.

"No," I replied, backing away easily, so as not to make him fall. "Why, what's it to you?" I gazed at him, watching him squirm for a little, then saw as his smile widened into a hopeful expression.

"That means—, he paused.

He began thinking to himself, so I let myself sit down again, thinking he might take a while to remember what he was trying to recall; whatever that was. I began to drift into my thoughts, trying to remember what happened to me. I couldn't bring back any memories. It was all a blur. I was lying next to Tommy in the cave, then the next thing I knew, I was laying next to him outside. _Where are they?_ I thought. Suddenly—

"We have to go now!" Mushroomon shouted.

"Wha!" I screamed, after being interrupted from my thoughts.

"You heard me," he yelled, "we have to go now." He jumped of the rock and began running, only stopping after he noticed I wasn't following him. "C'mon," he waved at me. "We need to get you there in a hurry."

I was confused. "Get me where?" I asked him, irritated at his sudden demand. He looked at me, seeming ready to run off on his own.

"To the Forest Kingdom, where else?" he questioned, jogging in place while he did.

"Easy there," I joked, while walking up to him. "What's the hurry?" I smiled at him, while trying to still figure out where he was going with all of this.

"You don't get it, do you?" he chastised. "We need to get you to the Forest Kingdom immediately. On orders to bring every one of you we find." He stated, while pointing at me.

"Orders, for what, and what do you mean, 'one of me'?" I questioned. I beamed at him, letting him know I wasn't going to move until he started making sense.

"If you aren't a digimon, then you're a human, right?" He asked, slightly vexed at my cooperation.

I nodded my head, confirming his thoughts.

"That's why we have to get you to the Kingdom of the Forest. It's because you're a human that we have to. You're one of the ten promised heroes from the legend," he stated the last part slowly.

"Promised heroes?" I asked him. "What legend?"

He nodded his head. "You have to come now, the queen will tell you the story," he cried. He then began to sprint off, motioning for me to follow him.

This time I did. I didn't know exactly what was going on, but I figured if this was anything like the first time I came to the Digital World; what with the stuff of old legends, and destined heroes. Then I knew to expect something out-of-the-ordinary. So, I followed him. Trailing behind, while we both made our way to the Forest Kingdom, the first, I knew, of many kingdoms we would eventually, travel too.

_A few hours later…_

"Oh, come on, can't we stop, even for a little sec," I whined. Mushroomon and I had been traveling for the past two hours or so, without a single rest. At first I didn't want to, because I wanted to keep looking for the others, but when Mushroomon mentioned that the queen had a tracking device for the entire forest kingdom, I complied. I figured it wouldn't be anything grand, since the kingdom had only recently found out my friends and I were here, but anything was better than nothing. So, I shrugged it off, and followed him.

"No," he shouted back at me. "We have to keep moving before night falls on us. That's when the dangerous monsters come out," he clamored. He kept moving ahead, while I trailed shortly behind. Mushroomon may not be the brightest digimon around, but after talking to him for the past two hours, I've come to know him.

He's talked about, how he wants to join the ranks of the League of Knights, and someday hopes to get stronger, in order to digivolve. I felt bad for him initially, but after hearing the rest of his story, I now feel bad for the entire digital world. He's also talked about the state of the world, the suffering that the digimon go through and the appearance of chaos everywhere. I had asked him what caused all of it, but he kept refusing to tell. He said, it was something I should hear from the queen, personally.

So here we are now, walking up some mountain, with the weather freezing cold, and no jacket or sweater around to keep me warm. My feet hurt, my stomach keeps growling, and I am shivering. "Please," I begged him again. I ran ahead and stood in front of him, then made a pouty face to move him. He didn't budge.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" he vexingly questioned. He pushed me aside and continued walking, holding a red rod while we climbed to the top of the mountain. He found the stupid rod, several miles back, and claimed it was a rod of devastating power. I knew he was lying, in reality, he figured it was best to be holding a weapon to protect himself and me, from whatever might be lurking around.

"Why can't we just rest for a little while?" I shouted after him, stomping my foot to the ground. I wasn't going to move from my position, unless he answered me.

He turned to face me, his face angry, yet determined. "Tell me something Zoe," he snarled, saying my name in a dark tone. I had told him my name a while back, but now regretted ever mentioning it. "Why do you think we're going to the Forest Kingdom?" he questioned, his face growing serious.

I shrugged –an "I don't know– but didn't want to leave it at that. "To see the queen right?" I asked, curious as to why he suddenly popped up with the question, to which the answer was all he ever talked about on our current travel.

"Ah," he grimaced, letting out a smirk afterwards. I didn't like the way he was suddenly acting. "But, do you know why the queen needs to see you?" he questioned again. He was definitely in a fowl mood now, and wasn't afraid to show it.

"Yeah, sort of," I replied. I walked closer to him, trying to gauge him out of his mood. "We're going to see the queen so she can help me locate my friends and also tell us about the legend right?" I moved my hand to grab his, but he backed away.

"Precisely," he agreed, his tone lightening a bit. "But those aren't the only reasons." He came closer to me, eyeing me carefully and whispered in a soft voice to make sure I was listening. "The queen needs your help, as well," he confessed.

I looked at him, and saw his face make a frown. He was saddened by the thought. "What do you mean by, 'my help', what's wrong with her? I asked him worriedly. "What can I do?" I added.

"I can't say for sure what is wrong with her, since I've never actually seen the queen, but it's been the talk of the kingdom ever since...," he muttered, placing a finger to his mouth to stop it from quivering.

"Ever since what?" I asked him curiously. I didn't know the queen was the one who needed my help. Knowing now she did, made me determined to help in some way.

"I can't tell you. Like I said, it has to be the queen who does. She's the only one who fully understands what's going on around here, in the Forest Kingdom," he admitted, shaking a little as he did. He closed his eyes, before reopening them to face me.

I understood. "Okay," I breathed. "I'll go with you to help the queen, and this time without a fuss." I shot him a grin and then an okay with my fingers. I wasn't too happy about walking some more, but the queen needed my assistance, and I am not one to ignore a call for help.

He smiled back at me, before resuming our walk. "Hey, Zoe," he whispered softly as we strolled side-by-side up the mountain, several minutes later.

"Yeah?" I asked, while facing him. I moved my hands from my sides, and crossed them, letting them hug me for warmth. I really was cold, despite our long hike.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he admitted. "I didn't mean to talk to you so harshly. It was wrong of me, and again, I'm sorry." He frowned somewhat, drooping his head while he did.

"It's okay," I happily stated. "Besides, I was sort of being difficult back there," I admitted.

"Yeah, you kind of were," he added. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. I was happy to see him back to his joyful-self.

We were talking for several more minutes, before a vegetable-like digimon ran up to us, catching his breath while he did. He seemed like he was in a hurry to talk to us, so I assumed it was something urgent.

"Mush... mushroom... gah. Mushroomon," the talking vegetable finally managed to say. He was yellowish in color, with long vines for hands, and a red-blue feather headpiece on top.

"What is it?" Mushrooman responded back, his voice becoming an octave higher.

"It's news from the queen," the talking-vegetable stated. "She's found a boy, she thinks it may be one of the heroes from the legend," he shouted.

"Another one!" Mushroomon yelled back. He face shined with glee, and his friend mimicked him. "Where'd she find him Vegiemon?"

"By the road, a few hours ago. Some Jagamon were sleeping nearby when, apparently, a few rocks crashed into them. But I have no time to explain, I have to hurry. Her majesty wants to find the other one."

"Another one!" Mushroomon repeated, himself, while shouting excitingly. He raised his hands to the air, showing how thrilled he was.

I was happy too, but chose not to show it. _Boy,_ I thought, _boy, hmm…_. My eyes grew wide. _Could it be Tommy?_ I thought.

"Yeah! The queen sent out some troops to allocate her right as we speak," Vegiemon clamored. "Isn't this exciting!"

"Did you hear that Zoe, the queen found two of your friends already," Mushroomon nodded to me, while smiling.

"Oh," Vegiemon, cried, "and "who's this?" he asked, finally noticing I was standing next to him.

"This," Mushroomon stated, while pointing at me, "is one of the destined children from the legend." He grabbed me from the hand, and bent me down to his level. "See," he beckoned to Vegiemon, "another human being." I felt as if though I was some product for a television commercial.

"Another human!" Vegiemon shouted. I was getting slightly annoyed of their outbursts already. "This makes three of them now, "he shouted. "We only need to find several more, and we're in the clear baby!" He began to do a dance, to show his excitement.

"Uh, excuse me," I huffed, while tapping Vegiemon on the shoulder. He turned to face me. His red-narrow eyes, making me feel uncomfortable. _Eesh_, I thought, _his eyes are funny looking. _

"Eh," he mumbled. "What is it toots," he spoke with an accent.

I ignored the "toots" part, and continued what I previously was getting at. "I don't think you heard your queen right."

"What do you mean?" Mushroomon and Vegiemon asked in unison.

"You said they found a boy right?" I asked. Vegiemon nodded. "Then a girl, correct?" he nodded again. "See, that's where the problem arises," I concluded. "There's only one girl who came to this world, and that's me," I stated the last part, while pointing at myself. His expression changed.

"That means you're the girl the whole kingdom is looking for!" Vegiemon shouted. "We have to get you to the queen, and fast." He began to run-off on his own, much like Mushroomon did. He stopped when he realized, neither Mushroomon nor I were following him. "What's the matter, why ain't yous guys following?" he questioned, with his accent being audible again.

"It's not that we don't want to," I was the first to speak, "but aren't you a little worried about your comrades? They could be alone, all by themselves out there." I stated, while pointing towards the forest below us.

"They ain't alone," Vegiemon admitted, while turning to face me. "Besides, the queen's the one who sent us to find the girl, which is you, so my missions complete. I have to report back." He began walking ahead of us; well more like skipping. "Any how, once we get to the kingdom, and the queen see's you, she'll call them back."

I eyed the ground a few more seconds, before finally making my decision. "Well, okay, if you say-so, Vegiemon," I muttered. I followed him from behind, while Mushroomon trailed in back of me. I figured they were doing it to protect me. _Is the digital world really as dangerous as everyone makes it seem? _I thought.

As we made our way to the top of the mountain, none of us spoke. I for one was to busy contemplating with my thoughts. I didn't know which of the boys the queen found, nor did I know what happened to Takuya or Tommy. I remembered seeing them both in that cave. _Too bad it collapsed. _Then it hit me. _What if Takuya was in there?_ I groaned at the thought of it. Mushroomon must've noticed, because he then began to eye me more carefully after that; although, he never addressed me about it. I didn't want him to worry, so I pushed the thought of Takuya being under the cave, and let my mind drift into more pleasant thoughts.

We hiked several more miles, taking small rests in-between, before setting out again. Along the way, we ran into some Lalamon, but pressed on soon afterwards. It wasn't long after that, when we finally made it to the kingdom of the forest.

"Welcome to the town of Arbor Kingdom!" the Lalamon announced, when we arrived inside the kingdom's walls. That's when I awed and cooed at what I was seeing. There was a huge glass dome resting on top of the kingdom, and within its walls, the city had amassed a grand quantity of exotic and surreal foliage and trees. It resembled a giant greenhouse. Even, the buildings were shaped like flowers or trees, adding a soft touch to the vista. The kingdom was beautiful.

Mushroomon gave me a few smirks and shrugs every time my mouth opened at something new that I saw. As, Vegiemon led us to the back of the city, I began to wonder where the castle in this dreamland, sat. My thought was soon answered, as we made out way past some huge trees, walking by some Cherrymon and Oakmon. The palace stood, fixated at the back of the city's walls, embroidered with plants and ivy, and topped with a grand garden entrance that would have made any girl jitter with glee. The forest kingdom was spectacular in every way!

As we made our way to the front of the castle, a woman in purple leather, with four white-flowing pieces that resembled a gown, came walking down the stairs to greet us. Her head looked like a golden crown, with a purple gem on top. We stopped below the outside palace steps, waiting for her to reach the bottom.

"Welcome, to Fauna Palace, the woman spoke in a deep-woman voice. She sauntered her way to the bottom of the steps. "My name is Lotosmon. I am the queen's royal advisor and her _personal_ guardian," she alluded, holding out her hand for us to greet.

"Lotosmon," the others awed in unison. They bowed before her, their eyes shining as they did.

She stopped to stare at me. "You must be the chosen girl we've been hearing so much about, recently," Lotosmon posed, her voice dragging some words here and there. She extended her hand to greet me, and I took it readily. I didn't bow like the others, but that didn't mean I was going to be disrespectful, and ignore a handshake. "Such a pleasure to finally meet you," she continued.

"The pleasure is all mine," I curtsied, smiling while I did. She smiled back, then motioned for us to follow her. The others stood from their positions and began to follow her, from behind. I did the same.

"That's Lotosmon," Mushroomon whispered to my ear. He made sure to stay a step ahead of me, to reach my height.

I rolled my eyes. "I know," I chuckled. I gave him a smirk, to which he returned, then continued.

"No, what I mean is that she is a commander of the League of Knights. Commanders are the ones who send us lower ranks to do odd jobs for them. That's why she is the guardian for her royal majesty."

"Meaning?" I questioned, curious to know what he meant.

"Meaning, that she's extremely powerful," he awed. "Each ruler from the ten kingdoms has only a few guardians, sometimes only one or two, protecting them. They're known as the Royal Guardians. They come second in rank to the Royal Knights."

"Oh," I nodded, while recalling the time we fought two royal knights four years before. _If the Royal Guardians are only second to the Royal Knights_, I thought,_ that must mean that they're more powerful than I think._ I continued on with my thoughts, until we finally reached the top of the steps. It was there, where Lotosmon spoke aloud, before opening the main palace doors.

"Before I should open these doors," Lotosmon shouted. "I must warn you now that none are to enter the queen's royal chamber without her consent; including the destined girl. Is that to be understood?" she questioned.

We all nodded in unison. She then proceeded to open the doors, motioning for us to enter. As I did, I gawked at the surrounding main hall. If it was possible, the inside was more beautiful than the palace grounds. The hall was constructed to house two grand staircases, a grand bridge, and two wide doors at the sides. The floor was marbled white and polished to perfection, and the stairs matched it. The walls were made of white stone and embroidered with creeping ivy, delicate flowers and an indoor terrace to hold pots and plants of all kind. A large purple carpet was scrolled to the front of the palace, leading into the guest hall, directly in front of us. I was amazed.

"Try not to get use this young girl," Lotosmon warned. "The palace isn't a housing place for anyone, which includes you as well my dearie."

I glared at her from behind, looking away only when she noticed.

She ignored my stare and began walking towards the grand door to the left of us. It was colored purple, and designed with golden streaks resembling tiny flowers. "This is where our digimon guests will be staying," she announced, while pointing towards the room to our left. She eyed Vegiemon and Mushroomon, then proceeded to escort the Lalamon outside.

"Why can't they stay as well?' I questioned Lotosmon. I placed a hand on my hip.

They were merely here to escort you to the palace. Nothing more," she declared. "As for your friends, they are being rewarded for their services. Soon, they too shall' leave once this day has ended." She let out a small grin, while closing the palace's main door, then proceeded to escort Mushroomon and Vegiemon into the guest hallway.

"Don't worry about her, Zoe," Mushroomon whispered to me, before heading into the guest hall. "She has to be that way. It's all business. If she wasn't, then she wouldn't be a Royal Guardian. Their service to their kingdom comes first before anything else."

I nodded, fully understanding what he meant by it_. I may not like it,_ I thought, _but sometimes you have to be tough in the line of work._ "Will you be okay staying only day here?" I asked him. I was worried that this might upset him.

He shrugged. "Not at all," he nodded. "This is actually my first time being here, so believe it or not, even if it's just for a day, I'm grateful." He smiled at me to reassure me. "Besides," he continued, "I don't live to far off. My house is only a few roads down from the palace."

"Oh," I stated with surprise. "You live in the forest kingdom?"

He nodded his head, while eyeing Lotosmon, who seemed like she was tired of waiting for him. "Anyways, I better go Zoe, take care." He waved at me.

I nodded and gazed as he joined Lotosmon and Vegiemon, into the guest hall. After watching Vegiemon and Mushroomon disappear into the next hall-chamber, Lotosmon gave me a command before leaving.

"Be a dearie and wait here for a Lilamon to escort you to your bedroom. I trust you are exhausted." With that she closed the door to the guest hall. I let out a sigh, once the door closed, and waited for the Lilamon to show up. It wasn't long before a pink-flower digimon came floating over to where I stood. She resembled a tulip of some kind, and her members also resembled tiny tulips.

"Hello," she greeted in a perky voice. "My name's Lilamon, I'm here to escort you to your room." She happily announced, while holding out a hand.

"Hello," I greeted back, taking her hand to shake it. Once the greetings were done, Lila immediately proceeded to lead me to my room. We walked a few minutes, passing some halls and chambers that lead to different expanses. It wasn't until we came to a grand double-door, laced with ivy and vines, that Lilamon stopped floating, and nodded to me.

"This is the entrance to the commoners' room," she began. "Inside you will find two doors, each marked with different symbols. The one with a golden lace belongs to the boys, and the one with the silver lace belongs to the girls. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head, and then asked a question of my own. "You're not coming with me?" I looked at her, while holding the straps of my backpack tight.

"No," she replied. "No one is allowed past this point, without the permission of her majesty. She strictly prohibited all guests and faculty, except you heroes." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Really?" I asked. "Then how do we get food, some bed-sheets and all that stuff? I thought the royal services did all that?" I didn't really care for the services offered here, I am simply curious about how they planned to do this.

"Not us," she nodded her head. There will be 'special servants' for that." She began to leave, but then stopped herself short, and turned to face me. "Is there anything you'd like for now, miss?"

"Yes," I replied. "Some food and water would be nice." I tapped my head with my finger trying to think of anything else. I remembered. "Oh, and some fresh clothes and maybe a bar of soap or something," I added, hoping that they offered some form of showering service here.

"You will find everything you need in your room. As for the provisions you've requested, I will send someone up with a tray of food." She announced. "Nothing else, miss?" she questioned again.

"No, that'll be all thank you." I smiled. "Oh, but um… how is the person coming up here going to deliver the food, if he isn't allowed in the… room?" I stated the last part slowly.

"Do not worry yourself about that miss," she waved her hand, as if to say "don't worry". "The food will be delivered to your room by your 'special servants'. Need not ask who they are, you will see them very soon. Take care miss," she waved me one final goodbye before leaving.

I waved at her back, before turning to face the door. I sighed. "Well," I spoke aloud, "here I go." I opened the doors to the common room, and awed at its design. The room was carpeted with purple flooring, and the walls were painted an ivy color. The furniture was white and laced with purple ribbons and sashes, the sofas and couches were designed with tiny golden streaks that mimicked the doors in the palace. The windows were shaped to resemble hearts, and the paintings on the walls matched the carpeting. I glanced around before finally closing the door behind me. I walked over to the nearest couch and sat down to let my feet rest.

"Ah," I moaned. "Finally, some rest at last. I am so tired of walking, I feel like my feet are about to kill me." I leaned back on the couch, not caring that I was slouching. That's when I noticed the two doors that Lilamon described at the back of the room. There were two more doors on the left and right side of the common room that I was sure, led to the bathrooms.

"This may be only for a while, but at least I'll enjoy it while I can." I sighed again, letting out a long yawn afterwards. I must be more tired than I originally thought.

_Thuck, Thuck, the common room's front door sounded._

"Oh, the _special_ servant must be here," I cried, emphasizing the special part. I opened my eyes and walked over to the front of the room, opening the doors as I did. I didn't see anyone around. I looked down, thinking the servant might be short, and found myself staring at a tiny basket with food inside. "Oh," I stated aloud. "How nice of them to leave it here." I picked the basket up, and took it inside the room, glancing one more time at the open hall, before closing the door.

Once inside again, I placed the basket on top of the coffee table and took off my shoes. I yawned again, noticing my sudden sleepiness. "Why am I so tired?" I asked aloud. No answer came. Not that I was expecting any. I picked up a tiny cake in the basket, and began eating it. After that one, I began eating the rest of the food, noticing how quickly I was increasing my eating rate. It wasn't until I finally gulped down the last of the beverage bottle and ate the last dumpling that I noticed how hungry I was.

_Burp!_

"Oh, excuse me," I apologized to myself, while pounding my chest softly. I placed the basket on a nearby end-table, before stretching. I then stood and walked over to the door on the left, which was laced with silver bearings and flower linings. I was prepared to open the doors, already holding the handles, when I heard a soft murmur coming from the direction to the right of me.

"What the—," I cried aloud, quickly closing my mouth with my hand. _Was there someone else in here with me?_ I thought. That's when I remembered. _That's right_, I thought, _the boy they found! It could be one of my friends. What am I saying? It is one of my friends. _

I contemplated with my thoughts a little longer, trying to decide whether I should enter the boys' chamber room first. After, more careful seconds of deciding, I finally ascertained what I should do. "I have to find out who else is here." I stated aloud.

Carefully checking the upper chamber halls, before heading to the boys' room chamber, I inspected whether anyone would be coming. I didn't know whether girls were allowed in the boys' rooms, and vice-versa, but I didn't want to risk it.

After, concluding that the coast was clear, I went back inside, and headed straight for the boys' door. I was ready to fling them open, when I heard footsteps coming from the inside. They were coming closer. My eyes grew wide, so I did the only thing I could think of— I hid behind one of the four couches in the room.

The doors flung open as a boy walked out, stretching while he did. I watched him from behind the couch, careful not to make any noise. I crawled on all fours, while glancing every now and then. The boy sat on a nearby couch, and yawned. I couldn't tell who he was, because he was wearing a hat which covered most of his face. He somehow seemed familiar. I eyed him more closely, careful not to let myself be noticed by him. He seemed to be reading something. _Probably a dirty magazine_, I thought. _Wait, I take that back. How can it be a dirty magazine, were in the digital world, you dunce._

While I was busy chastising myself in my own mind, the boy stood up from the couch and removed his cap, placing it on the coffee table. He turned towards my direction and stretched again. That's when I recognized him. Then my face widened in expression…

* * *

**Okay, so I left a cliff-hanger. Yep, I have been doing those lately. Most of the time, it isn't on purpose, it just happens. I know I promised in the previous chapter that there would be more butt-whooping and some romance involved, but as I was writing this chapter, it hit me that I had a lot of holes to fill before getting to that part. So this chapter is the one finally preceding the official drama, romance, butt-kicking, reason for rated T for Teens script. Hope you enjoy this one nonetheless. **

**Okay so don't forget to comment, like, follow, favorite, review and/or PM me. Thanks for reading my story everyone, I really am grateful and I appreciate it immensely.**


	8. Loveless

**Okay, here is the official 7th chapter, and technical 8th chapter of this story. Um... before I begin this headnote, I'd like to make an announcement. This chapter is extremely loosely based off of the actual characters from the Digimon series. I have tried keeping as much of each character's OCness, or whatever it's called, but I have been receiving some PMs about it. So I thought I'd post this here: I have studied each character's personalities, traits and habits from the original (US Version) series' involved. I recognize that four years have passed, and these are growing teens, so I altered them in some areas. I kept them as close to OCness as I could, but I'm sorry if some of the characters seem some ways-off. If you don't mind, you can PM about it, or leave a thorough review on it, and I'll alter them a bit to fit people's needs. Any who, on with this chapter. Thanks again for reading this, and the story. I really do appreciate the effort made.**

* * *

**Recap: Zoe loses both Tommy and Takuya. She gets lost after trying to find them, and gets hungry along the way. After finding some wild mushrooms, which she decides to pick and eat, she is then ridiculed by a Mushroomon. Here she gets into an argument with him, only to find out useful information about what's happening in the Digital World. Then Mushroomon leads Zoe into he palace of the Royal Kingdom of the Forest - Fauna Palace. Along the way she discovers that another boy was found by the queen of the palace, by a Vegiemon, who tags along with both Mushroomon and her. After, entering the palace grounds, the three are then greeted by a Lotosmon, who is the Royal Guardian for the queen. Zoe then meets Lilamon, who escorts her to the Royal Commons' Room, a place only of strict privilege. Here she discovers that the boy shares the same housing area as her, and quickly hides behind a couch as he emerges from the boys' room. Then she recognizes him...**

* * *

**-Fauna Palace-Royal Commons Chamber**

Zoe gawked at the boy she saw, her eyes growing wide, while remaining hidden behind one of the four couches inside the room. She remained silent, while the boy moved about. _Who is he?_ She thought. She hasn't seen anyone in the Digital World, since she lost both Takuya and Tommy back at the cave.

She moved around some more, taking a peek whenever the chance came, while making sure the boy didn't notice her presence. Breathing softly, she let out a soft sigh, before looking back to the boy, who seemed to be reading something. _Probably a dirty magazine_, she thought. She quirked at her thoughts, while silently giggling, realizing the foolishness of what she was thinking. She slapped her mouth with her hand, to keep it from making anymore noise, and eyed the boy once more.

The boy stood up, placed what he was reading on a nearby coffee table, and removed his cap. He placed the cap next to the book he was reading, then began to stretch. That's when he noticed, a bundle of yellow, sticking out of the couch. Not knowing what it was, he walked over to examine it, only to find himself looking at a young girl, who stared wide-eyed at him. He recognized her. "Hey, Zo," he greeted, "nice to see you again." He let out a huge grin to her, while holding his hand out for her to take.

"Oh, hey!" she responded nervously, while taking his hand. He helped her up from her crouching position. "So… um…," she began, "what brings you here?" _What brings you here, really Zoe?! _She screamed inwardly.

"Nothing much," he responded. "I was brought here, by… actually I don't know who I was brought here by." He scratched the back of his head, while letting out a small laugh. He then sat on the couch where Zoe hid previously, and patted the spot next to him. "Come, here," he offered, "sit."

She obeyed, and sat next to him. "Um…," she began nervously again, while facing him. "I need to ask you something?"

"Sure, anything," he replied. He let out a smile, before she continued.

"What happened to you? I mean, I know you don't know what brought you here, but what I mean is, well, do you remember anything before that?" she questioned, while looking at him, her gaze fixated.

"Well, I don't remember much before coming here," he started. "But, one thing I can remember was waking, and feeling drowsy. I saw some sunlight, but everything around me was a blur. I could hear voices," he stated, while tapping his ears. "I didn't know whose voices they were, but I remember hearing them say things like, "He's one of them' and 'Her highness will be most pleased.' At first, I was scared, but eventually they brought me here and served me food and water. Some of the workers here told me I could use anything within the room to my pleasing. So I did. Man, it's so great Zoe," he roared, letting out a laugh. "Heck, they even have a bathroom with a full-on shower and everything!" he shouted excitingly, while pointing at the door to the right of the commons' room.

She saw where he was pointing, and figured that was the boys' bathroom, then turned back to face him. "Takuya," she started, "I don't understand," her eyes dropped down to gaze at the floor. "I was so worried; I thought that maybe something had happened to you. I couldn't stop thinking about whether you were crushed in that cave and—,"

"Wait, what cave?" he interrupted. He realized that he had stood up from the couch, and sat back down, lowering his gaze, before turning back to face Zoe. He noticed her still looking to the ground, but made no motion to help her from her mood.

Continuing to face the ground, she moved her hair and let it fall forward allowing it to cover her face. "Takuya, I…," her voice trailed. She couldn't stop thinking about her worries. She hadn't noticed it before, but she was crying. _Why am I crying_? She thought. She moved her hand, and began to wipe her tears, but stopped when she felt a hand touch hers.

"Don't," he protested. He held her hand, wrapping his fingers around hers, while caressing her forehand with his thumb. "Don't be afraid to let out your tears." He stated, while giving her a soft smile.

"I…," she looked at him, her eyes began to puff. "Takuya, I need to tell you something. Something, I've been meaning to tell you for a long time now." She began, while looking at her best friend. He avoided her gaze.

"Don't, Zoe," he breathed, while refusing to look at her. He closed his eyes, before taking a deep-breath, then opened them again, this time facing her as he did. "I… I can't," was all he said.

She looked at him, her eyes trying to find something in his, but there was nothing. "What do you mean?" she begged, before more tears began to well up in her eyes.

He let go of her hand, and instead placed it on his leg. "I know what you're going to say, but I have to tell you now. If, this goes on, there will be no turning back. We'll both end up getting hurt, and…," his voice trailed this time.

"Takuya…, she began, while trying to think of something to say. She closed her eyes to prevent more tears from falling down. She let out a deep sigh, then opened them, before continuing. "Takuya, if you've known all this time, then why did you go out with Mimi?" she questioned him, her voicing increasing in hostility.

"With Mimi?" he interjected. "What are you talking about?" He stood up from the couch again, this time making no effort to sit back down. He beamed at her, daring her to answer him.

She looked at him confused. "Ta- Takuya, what are we talking about?" she questioned. She rose from the couch as well, standing a few inches shorter than him.

"We, more like, what are you talking about," he implored. He stared at her, noticing how much smaller she was than him.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then spoke. "I… I…," she couldn't seem to finish her sentence. She felt her cheeks begin to redden, and turned away to cover them. "Takuya, really," she started while still facing her back to him, "what are you talking about?" She questioned him once more, purposely avoiding having to tell him about her excuse.

"Nn," he began, "I thought we were talking about me under that cave. I told you not to worry, dummy." He pinched the bridge of his nose, before placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him. He noticed how flushed her face looked. "Zoe," he spoke softly, "Why did you think I was talking about Mimi?"

She turned away, purposely avoiding, to meet, his gaze. "I- I thought that maybe you wanted to talk about it. You said that you can't, and I didn't understand what you meant by it. It didn't make any sense, and it still doesn't," she admitted. "What's going on Takuya?" she asked him unequivocally.

He turned to face her, but only to find himself staring back at a girl who seemed to be looking elsewhere. _She must be nervous, but about what?_ He thought. He cupped her chin in his right hand, turning her gaze to meet his. "Why would you think I meant to talk about Mimi?" he queried. He purposely avoided having to tell her the truth.

She stared at him for a few moments, before shaking her head to free herself from his hand. "You can't ask me that," she countered. She stood erect, firmly placing her feet to the floor.

"Why not?" he let out a chuckle. He walked over to where his cap was at, and picked it up, reading the letters on it.

"Because," she retorted. "I asked you first."

"Uh…," he pretended to think, "No, if you recall, I was the first to ask you," he stated, while still holding the cap.

She eyed him, noticing him playing with the hat in hands. His fingers were fumbling with the letters, gliding them back and forth over the texture. _Was he nervous?_ She thought. "Well, she began, stating the first words that came to her, "I'm a girl, and you know the rules. Girls always go first." She began to think how lame the words sounded, but thought there was no other way she could get him to talk first.

"Fair enough," he readily agreed. She stared at him shocked, something he noticed quickly. While still playing with the cap in his hands, he faced her, giving her a smirk as he did.

"What?" she retorted.

"I wasn't talking about the cave at all," he confessed.

She stared at him, stunned by his words. "Wha- what were you talking about then?" she demanded. She had to admit to herself, she didn't expect this. Usually Takuya was very forceful and headstrong, yet here he was— calm and complacent.

"Nope," he remarked childishly. "Now, you have to tell me what I asked you. I answered your question fairly, now you must answer mine." He shot her another smirk, his eyes glowing with victory.

She felt her face grow hot. _Stupid idiot_, she thought maliciously. _How dare he try to trick me? Fine, two can play at this game._ "Fair enough," she repeated his words. She shot him a smirk of her own, before continuing. "I," she pretended to pause, "I thought you were talking about Mimi, because, well to put it rather out there," she giggled, while placing a finger to her lip. She began to move about the room, sauntering her movements, and bouncing as she did. "Well," she began once more, "I wanted to know whether the break-up was still hurting you."

"Wha—,"

"I only meant," she interrupted, before allowing him to speak, "that I was worried for you. You've seemed so down lately, I began to wonder whether it was because of your breakup… is it?" she pried, while stopping to sit down on the couch. Well, more like lay down.

He stared at her, as she lay down on the couch, striking a pose as she did. At least, that's the way it seemed to him. "Well," he began, giving her another one of his famous grins. He wasn't about to back down easily. "Of course it was," he stated rather fervidly. "I mean, I loved her Zoe," he lied, while smiling at her wide expression.

Surprised by his words once more, she shot up from her position, but then quickly regained her composure. "Really," she questioned; a hint of jealousy in her voice. He nodded back at her. "And she didn't love you back, now did she?" she spoke in a condescending voice, mocking him on purpose.

He eyed her suspiciously. "How would you know that?" he asked, with an indication of hostility. He walked over to where she lay, and sat down on the coffee table, nearby.

"Don't be so surprised, Takuya, I thought it was only evident by the way you've been acting around me."

He didn't like the way she said his name. It was full of anger, or resentment? "And how's that?" he retorted, his fingers tightening into fists.

"Well," she began, while pretending to think. "You've been so nervous around me, and not to mention, moody and frivolous."

"Frivolous?" he shot back. "You think I'm acting, frivolous?" he repeated for emphasis. He gazed at her, and she nodded back, confirming his thoughts. "I don't get it," he admitted. "First I'm nervous, then I'm a moody person, and yet somehow, I find time to be carefree around you? Honestly, Zoe, I don't know what the heck you're talking about," he retorted. He loosened his fingers, letting his temper fade away. _Why have I been so angry lately_? He admitted to himself.

She saw him take a deep breath, wondering why he even needed to. _Is he mad at me?_ She thought. Not wanting to ponder on it anymore, she decided to ask him. "Are you mad, Takuya?" she beamed at her friend, wanting to know if he was, and why. He nodded, confirming her accusation. "Why?" she pressed. She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"It's the way you are, Zoe," he confessed.

"The way I am?" she retorted. "And how exactly am I, Takuya?" she barked at him, raising her voice as she did.

"See, this is what I mean," he shouted. He rose from his spot, towering over her. He needed the advantage. "You always get so mad at me fast. That's all you've been doing lately, I- I-," he stammered, flinging his arms in the air.

"What?" she bellowed, while standing from her position. She was shorter than him, but that didn't discourage her from shouting. "Don't be afraid to tell me, Takuya," she cried.

He looked at her, his eyes fixated. "First I say hello to you, then we're talking about Mimi, then we're arguing over who knows what!" he shouted. "This is what I mean. I don't even know what's going on, my head still hurts, and now we're shouting for whatever reason you're mad at me!" he bellowed. "Zoe," he shouted, "Why, do you sometimes…," he stammered again. He gazed at her, his face growing hot. _Easy, Takuya, don't get so worked up over nothing_, he thought.

She eyed him, her mouth trembling. She knew she wanted to cry again, but she wasn't about to show let him know that. Not now. She knew she had no reason to be angry at him, but for some reason she couldn't help but want to shout. "Takuya, do you have a problem or something?" she spoke in a low whisper.

"It's you, Zoe." His words stunned her. He could tell by her reaction. "Lately, you've been getting so angry at me. Like at the park, you refused to play soccer with us." He lowered his gaze, refusing to look at her in the eyes. He closed his eyes, then opened them, before continuing. "Whenever, I ask you what's wrong, you always tell me it's none of my business, or to back off." His voice began to deepen. "At first, I thought that you just were going through something. But as the days passed, I noticed you've only acted that way around me." He faced her again, meeting her eye.

She stared at him back, her nerves tensing. "Takuya, I—,"

He shot a hand up to interrupt her. "I was beginning to think you hated me or something. I kept telling myself I must've done something wrong, something to make you mad. But, every time I try to ask you what's wrong, you always give me the cold shoulder."

She looked at him— her best friend. She closed her eyes, to avoid staring at his any longer, before speaking. "It's because," she began. "Takuya, I l…," her voice trailed. She opened her eyes, and saw him staring back. "I l-," she couldn't form the words in her mouth.

He gazed at her, his mind unable to think of anything to say. He only listened. This reminded him of something, but he couldn't remember what "it" was.

"I can't tell you," she cried. "It'll only hurt more," she hugged herself to prevent tears from flowing down.

He stared at her, noticing the tear coming down her face. He walked over to where she stood, and cradled her in his arms; his chin resting on top of her head, while holding her close. He felt her tears seep through his shirt, but he didn't care. "Zoe," he cried softly, "you don't have to say anything. It's all right, I'm not mad anymore," he stated.

She backed away from his embrace, causing him to give her a bewildered look. It didn't matter to her. She beamed at him, her face still prevalent with tears. "Mad at me?" she questioned. Her voice began to rise once more. "Why, would you be mad at me?"

"You-," he began, "You said you were mad at me," he replied innocently. He knew he had to find a way to get her back into a good mood. At least, before things became hostile again.

She shook her head to disagree. "No," she countered, "you were the one shouting at me. I was only trying to qualm your rage."

"Qualm my—," he began, his voice growing an octave higher. "You—," he began to point at her.

"I asked you if you were mad. You nodded yes, so I tried my best at steering you away from that." She began to gesticulate. "But you kept refusing to lower your voice, so I had tor raise mine." She beamed at him again. "You're always like that, you play these mind games, but then when things don't go your way, you try to make it someone else's fault".

He gawked at her in wide expression. "And what's that supposed to mean?" he shot back.

"What do you think genius, figure it out!" she snapped.

He rolled his eyes. "Not again, Zoe. I'm tired of arguing, if you want to argue, fine, just do it with someone else." He shot his hands in the air, to declare his surrender.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she repeated what he said, while shouting at him.

He let out an angry sigh. "What do you think?" he snarled. "It means that I'm not going to sit around and listen to you babble and bitc—,"

She slapped him before he could finish his sentence; her mouth fumigating with rage.

He looked at her, shocked by what she did. He held his hand to his cheek, feeling the slap make its way into his skin. The pain wasn't anything he couldn't handle, but who caused it, was more than he expected. "Zoe, I—," he stared at her, noticing her eyes beginning to narrow. "I'm so sorry," he managed to croak, his anger dissipating quickly.

She shook her head and backed away from him. He tried to come closer to her, but she held out her hands to stop him. "I can't forgive you, Takuya." She held her breathe, before turning to look away. "I don't think I can for a while," she muttered, before storming out of the room, leaving a stunned Takuya in the room alone. Quickly the tides had turned, and only will they grow more violent as the days passed, from then on.

* * *

**-Fauna Palace, Grounds-Grand Garden**

_Several hours later…_

Zoe had found herself in the palace garden. She had stormed out of the commons' room after her argument with Takuya. She then ran to the bottom of the castle, and scuttled out, where she then escaped behind the enormous building and hid deep inside the grand garden.

She had been sitting on a bench within the plot, weeping and moaning at the pain that was tugging in her heart. She couldn't bare it. It was too much for her to handle. She felt as if her life was beginning to crumble. Here she lay, crying over all the things she lost. So many times before, had she wished it was no more? So many times had she wished for her pain to distill itself? "I don't understand," she mumbled aloud. She held her hand close to her mouth. "I don't get it." She seemed angry at herself, yet more at someone else. "Why did it have to be this way? I- I," she stammered. She began to bawl, while cradling herself in the fetal position. "Why?" she squeaked, her voice distorted by the tears running down her face.

"It's because of your heart's passion," a voice hissed. "Too many tugs at it, and soon, it'll begin to crumble, my love,"

Quickly rising from her crouching position, she turned to look at her surroundings. Not wanting to grow frightened, she crunched her fingers and shouted, "Who's there?" into the open air. She looked around, and found a soft mist swirling in front of her.

"My, my dearie, aren't we a little feisty today?" the voice joked.

The swirl in-front of Zoe twirled and moved about the space around her, before finally turning into water and dropping to the floor. She gazed at it, amazed at the supernatural that happened before her so suddenly. "What the?" was all she said, before the water began to vibrate.

The water pulsated left and right, leaving tiny ripples on the surface. It was soon, before Zoe saw soft-looking fingers emerge from the liquid on the ground. The water began to dance on the floor, waving and swooshing about, as a figure began to surface from the bottom of the water— wherever that may be.

Finally, after much shaking, the water evaporated, but not before leaving behind a watery figurine. Zoe stared at the form that stood before her, a transparent figure, as it moved about. It looked to her as if the water shaped itself into a woman. "Who- who are you?" she quivered.

"Shush, my love," the figurine spoke. "I'm here to help all your dreams come true." She shook a little, creating tiny ripples on her body, before finally expelling all the water from her form. "Woo," she yelped, "that was fun."

Zoe stared at a young woman, whose eyes swirled with an oceans depth. Her eyes matched the seas, her body was wavy and formed, and her skin was pearl-colored with small streaks of pale rose. The woman's hair was bright and golden, and her face matched that of a real human. _Is she a human?_ She thought. "Are you a mermaid or something?" she asked suddenly.

The woman looked at her, surprised by her question. "Oh love, she" bantered, "does it look like I have fins?" She pointed to her legs, before letting out a small laugh. "I suppose those with broken hearts can't think for themselves." She let out another laugh, holding her stomach as she did.

"Well that's not funny," Zoe retorted. She beamed at the woman.

The woman stopped to face her. "You're right sweetie," she spoke in a soft-voice. "My fault, sometimes I get so lonely I forget how to talk to others, much less' not be rude. Here, let me make it up to you," she extended her hand to the girl in front of her.

Zoe looked at the woman's hand, making no motion to take it.

"Well, go on," she insisted. "Take it." She saw the girl nod no, and so pulled it back. "Very well," she fumed, "least I'm the one with manners, love. Any who," she whistled, while jumping and swirling across the air on a sudden water current. "I have a proposal to make with you."

"No chance, lady," Zoe rudely remarked. She stood up from the bench, and crossed her arms. "There' no way I'm making a bargain with a digimon." Zoe knew that wasn't true. Though, it didn't matter to her at the moment.

"Ouch," the other woman pretended to be hurt. "Those are some harsh words to call me," she chuckled. "Digimon, humph, as if I'd lower myself to those standards. The nerve."

Zoe looked at her, shocked. "What do you mean?" She beckoned for her to answer.

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head about that, love. Besides, I'm not asking to make a bargain." She twirled on the water current, airborne, from some intense phenomena.

Zoe eyed her suspiciously. "Then what is it you want?"

"Don't be so nasty, sweetie, only nice girls get their man." She mocked, while holding a finger to her lip.

"As if you'd know," Zoe retorted. She began to grown impatient with whoever this woman was. She was tired from arguing with Takuya, and the last thing she needed was someone ridiculing her.

"Humph. Well, since I'm so forgiving, I'll turn the other cheek." The woman sassed. "Anyways, I've only come to offer my services." She floated on the water, closing her eyes as she did.

Zoe muttered something, but stopped herself short. "What services?" she asked curiously.

_Got her,_ the woman thought. "Well, before I begin explaining, first I must introduce myself." She jumped from her airborne-water position, before landing gracefully on the ground. She walked close to Zoe. "Let's try this again," she mused. "My, name is Nacreousmon, the Pearl of the Sea." She extended her hand once more. This time, Zoe shook it. "That's good," she cried. "Now, you'd like to know about my services, won't you, love?"

Zoe nodded her head, while shaking Nacreousmon's hand. She pulled away before continuing. "What is it exactly that you need… want from me?" she questioned the digi-woman that stood before her.

Nacreousmon nodded her head as if to say "it's nothing" before speaking. "Well," she began, "to be honest, I'm going to have to steal some of your hearts energy first."

"My hearts energy?" Zoe replied. "What are you talking about?" She backed away a little, somewhat stunned by the woman's words.

Nacreousmon noticed her move away. "Don't be afraid of me sweetie. I know it sounds weird, but it's the only way, if you want me to remove the pain in your heart." She shot a smile at her, and leaned closer to her again.

Zoe backed away again, still not trusting her. Though, the other woman's words seeped into her mind, she couldn't help but wonder what she meant by them. _What's she mean by, removing the pain in my heart? How would she know about any of that? _She pondered with her thought a little more, before feeling a tap to her shoulder. She turned to face the woman again.

"Sweetie, if I may interrupt your thoughts," she intercepted, "I must tell you now. I know all there is to know about love." She giggled, before twirling her fingers, which released some water from the tips.

"Yeah," Zoe retorted, "if its true what you say, then show me," she challenged. She smirked at the woman, allowing herself to feel confident in her decision.

_Don't worry tootsie, I'll wipe that smirk from your face,_ the woman thought. "I must ask, before I show you anything," the woman started, "why are you so hostile with me? I don't get it? I've done nothing wrong to you, yet you haven't even showed me the sunshine of your day." She began to vibrate her fingers quickly, which then released a spout of water.

Zoe let out a sigh, before reverting her attention to the bench behind her. "I-," she began, "I don't know." She confessed. "I'm actually not such a horrible person, but it's just that…," she trailed. She moved her gaze back at the woman, looking at her, wondering it would all right to confide in her. She sat down on the bench again, before continuing. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I know haven't made it easy on you." She let out a soft laugh, surprising the other woman. "Maybe, Takuya was right. Maybe I have been angry lately. Sometimes it feels that way, and what's worse…," she closed her eyes, while resting her hands on her lap. "What's worse is that, most of the time; I don't even know why I'm angry." She chuckled, before looking at the woman again.

"Tsk, oh honey," the woman purred. "Don't beat yourself up." She sat down next to her. "I know its hard now, but believe me when I say this: love always hurts more, if you don't let it out." She smiled at her, before standing.

Zoe smiled at her back. They stared at each other for a good while, before finally breaking the connection. "So," Zoe was the first to speak, "about that service, or whatever it was you had." She turned to face Nacreousmon.

"Oh, about that. That's right. Now what was I doing," the woman pondered for a minute. "Ah," she screamed, while pointing a finger to the air. "I remember now." She started moving her fingers in a circular motion, creating a water sphere between her hands. Zoe watched as she began to tighten her hold on the sphere, releasing a gush of energy, until finally the water evaporated completely. "There we go," she happily uttered.

Zoe eyed the woman's hands, noticing her clenching something between them. She didn't know why, but she suddenly began to feel dizzy. Her eyes began to drift, and her mind was feeling numb.

"Here you go, love." The woman extended her hand to Zoe, showing her a small badge that rested in her palm. "My gift to you. It's not really a service, but I promise to you, once you hold this, all of your deepest sorrows will fade away." She gave her a warm smile.

"Wha- What is that?" Zoe questioned, while staring at the emblem. She noticed the object was inscribed with a tiny heart at the center. She couldn't really concentrate on it as her vision began to blur. She held her head with her right hand, to keep herself from collapsing on the bench.

"It's your true hearts desire, love. With this," she stated while pressing the emblem close to Zoe's face, "you'll be able to know all of love's greatest mysteries and secrets," she exaggerated. She glided the emblem back and forth in-front of Zoe's face to soothe her. "Take it," she commanded. "Take it, and banish all of your hearts burdens. Take it dearie, and soon, you shall' have the love of your life."

Upon hearing her words, Zoe quickly snatched the emblem from the woman's hand, holding it close to her chest. "What do I do with it?" she mustered, while closing her eyes. She felt the energy leave her body, and in place, was left with an empty sense of loneliness.

"You must hold it close to your heart, love. For, only then may you have, your one true love." She stared at the girl that stood before her, acknowledging her desperate need to be loved.

Zoe obeyed, and quickly held the emblem as close to her heart as possible. The badge began to shake and wobble as it made its way into her heart, releasing a gush of energy, before finally settling inside her.

The air began to blow viciously where they were. It slashed and moaned as it carried nearby plants and bushes. It wasn't long before Zoe, could hear the voices from a distance. The words that were carried by the air currents. She could hear it all, even the smallest of whispers and thoughts. Then, the wind slowly died down. Dropping everything it had previously carried in its clutches.

"Good," the woman laughed, grinning while she did. "It's time to go now, Zoe," she commanded. "We must train you for a long battle ahead." She twirled her finger in a circular motion, creating a tiny drop of water. She tapped it, causing the drop to dance around in the air, before finally dropping down and creating a puddle of water. She stepped towards it, walking down as the water submerged her deep beneath the shallow pool of liquid.

Zoe nodded her in disobedience. "I won't," she remarked. Her head began to regain consciousness, and she felt a surge of energy return.

The woman stared at her in wide-eyed expression, before letting out a small laugh. "I don't think you have a choice, love." She emerged from the puddle once more, grabbing Zoe harshly by the wrist. "Now come with me," she hissed, while pulling her from the bench.

Zoe fought back, but failed. She noticed how much stronger the woman was, despite her appearance. "Let go of me," she shouted. "Let go," she shouted again. She started to panic. She knew she to do something quick, before Nacreousmon pulled her into the small portal that lay before her feet. She looked around, trying to find something to grab to fight back. It was no use. Nacreousmon pulled her further, and further into the puddle. _What do I do?_ Zoe thought, while closing her eyes. She reopened them when she felt water soak her feet. She looked down, and found herself being dragged into the puddle of water_. I have to do something_! She screamed inside.

As she fought her hysteria, Zoe failed to notice her chest begin to glow. The energy in her chest was pulsating, the light growing stronger and stronger. That's when she felt the energy beginning to overtake her body. She screamed and shouted, causing Nacreousmon to drop her.

The energy stopped, and the light dimmed, leaving behind a pulse, that vibrated in Zoe's body. She reached out to where her heart was located, pressing on the area tightly, before gasping. She could feel it, the amount of power within her. _This feels familiar,_ she thought. _I recognize it._ Her eyes grew wide, finally apprehending what was happening.

Nacreousmon reemerged from the water, fumigating with glower. "It isn't nice to burn other's hands, love," she fumed. She walked over to where she dropped Zoe, making the intention to grab her again. She screamed as she was burned by a hot surge of energy. "Impossible!" she bellowed.

Zoe faced her, smirking as she did. "Anything is possible in the Digital World," she cried, before allowing the hot energy to overtake her. "You may have been able to drag me before…," she held out her hand. A gush of air began to form around her fingers, swirling violently. "…But now it's my turn," she exclaimed. "Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

Nacreousmon backed away, recognizing the data the coursed through Zoe's body. "It wasn't supposed to be this way," she shouted, while shielding her eyes from the sudden light that appeared from the other girl's body. She lowered them once the light faded away, but gasped at what she saw. She stared at a pink fairy, with silver wings and purple hair. The hybrid seemed to be wearing a silver mask, which covered her face. "So, you're the legendary warrior of wind," she retorted.

"Don't be so naïve," the pink-fairy, jested. "I don't know why you gave me that emblem, but it sure worked miracles on me." She eyed the other woman, noticing her stiffen at her words. "What's wrong, you find yourself suddenly tongue-tied?"

"Nn," Nacreousmon began. "You may be able to turn into Kazemon now, but that won't stop me from taking you. I'm on a mission, and I won't fail His Supremacy."

"His Supremacy? I take it you're not the main boss around here?" she pestered, confident now that she was Kazemon.

Nacreousmon twitched a little, regretting having ever spoken. "Quiet, love. That's enough, idle chat. It's time that you come with me! Serenity's Quartet!" she screamed, releasing a flurry of water in the shape of notes. The notes danced around Kazemon, drumming at her ears, causing her to fall on her knees. "See dearie, you're at the mercy of my beautiful music," she laughed viciously.

Kazemon groaned as the music played into her ears. Luckily for her, as the warrior of wind, sound was something she was able to distort. "Tempest Twist!" she screamed over the loud notes. She twirled rapidly on her hands, creating a large gush of winds, causing the notes to rattle and shake, before finally turning into small droplets. "How's that for ya'," she joked, after stopping her attack.

"Not bad, for someone who just got back there digimon spirit. But the game is over, I don't have time to be battling you." She backed away from her current position, and let out a harmonious song. "Sweet Lullaby!" she roared. The song echoed through Kazemon's ears, lulling her to sleep.

"No," Kazemon whimpered. "I… I… won't let you…," she muttered, mustering any energy she could to move. She began to feel her body betray her, as her legs gave way, forcing her to her knees. She gazed at the woman who stood over her, before feeling her eyes grow heavy. Then she blacked out.

"There we go," Nacreousmon chuckled. "At least she wasn't so much of a struggle. Not like that other boy. Well time to take you darling. It's best that we get you to His Supremacy as soon as possible." She made the motion to carry her, but was stopped by a shining light, radiating from Zoe's chest. She covered her eyes once more. "Impossible!" she screamed. "This can't be. Why is your spirit reacting this way?" She groaned some more, as the light grew brighter. It pushed her to the puddle that lay behind her. "So it seems that your spirit has become one with you." She began to submerge back into the tiny pool of water. "Oh, the master won't be pleased to hear about this." She gave one last look at the unconscious Zoe, before fully submerging herself, and disappearing into nothingness.

Some time passes…

A few guards could be heard from a distance, shouting orders. Others were frantically moving about, while some were busy looking for anyone that could have been nearby. It wasn't evident as to when they heard the shouts coming from the grand garden that hid behind the castle's walls. But it was clear to everyone that that night, one of the chosen ones had been attacked, and this wouldn't be the last they heard of such a shock. And no one knew this better, than one boy who stood over his friend, watching; never taking his eyes off of her, in fear that something bad may have happened to her.

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**I know... I know. I promised I would add more romance. I did add some... at least, it's what I'd like to see as romance. Hope you guys can forgive me for not making any bold moves for the two. I didn't want to rush into things that may, or may not, be there. Any who, I tried my best on this one (not really actually). Although, I've been thinking of doing another story, but strictly romance. Not, one-hundred percent on this yet, but I think this story may take a slight backseat for a while. The reason being, that I need to brush up on some of my skills. Lately, I've been feeling... meh. So, I need some creativity spark, and I am not about to allow this downtime to be wasted. Hope you guys look forward to the next chapters.**

**As always, feel free to PM, review, critique, follow, favorite and all that good stuff if you guys want me to keep continuing this story. Love you all!**

**PS: I've been wondering this for a while, and some of you may have noticed. While, reading this story you may have seen me do this in regards to bad words: "Son of a Bitc-," where I then cut it off or interrupt it by some other action/disposition/speech and/or movement. The sole reason I do that, is simply, because I do not know whether I am allowed to post curse words in a T rated story; and I am not about to change it to M, simply because of it. So, my question is this: am I allowed to post curse words on a T-rated story? If yes, which ones? If no, well then... that sucks. Hope you guys, or at least, someone would answer my dilemma.**


	9. Emergency

**Okay, here is the official 8th Chapter, and technical 9th Chapter. I have started with the main story at this point, letting it reveal more than I initially intended. This chapter was long for me to write, as I have mentioned before. My need to write has been a little tiresome lately, but I'm getting better. Nonetheless, thanks everyone for reading this story, and I hope you can enjoy the chapters, as I write them. Oh, and by the way, if you see a name or character/word marked with an asterisk beside it, it's because I have a small asterisk glossary at the bottom for reference. Any who, enjoy.**

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**Recap: Zoe and Takuya have a fight, causing her to storm out of the commons' room. She runs to the back side of the palace, on the maze garden, where she encounters a digimon names Nacreousmon. It is here where the beautiful digimon tries to lure her into taking joining, but Zoe refuses after finding out here scheme through the wind. Later she transforms into Kazemon fro the firs time in four years, and manages to fight off Nacreousmon. Then Zoe faints, and a search party find her unconscious in the palace garden. **

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**-Fauna Palace-Eastern Wing**

The room had been lavished, high and low with cream-colored drapes, golden articulate designs, and crimson fabrics. The room, through its appearance alone, revealed nothing of what when on behind closed curtains. Too many, it seemed to house another partial reason for the royal palace. But if one were to overstay their welcome, they would notice what truly went on behind the doors that separated the eastern wing, from all other parts of the castle. Although, in a moment such as this, trivial secrets were of no importance, as a rush of digimon stampeded towards the room.

"Hurry, hurry!" yelled a digimon whose appearance matched that of a rose.

"We have to get her to the hospital wing stat," another shouted.

"What'll we do if we lose her? The queen will be furious!" a third partied member shouted.

Three digimon shouted and argued as they quickly rushed a young girl, with blonde hair and creamy-skin, to the hospital bed that lay behind one of the curtains of the hospital wing. "On here," the rose-looking digimon commanded, while carrying the girl from the head to shoulders.

"Do we start with the procedure, doctor?" a lily-looking digimon, asked the tree digimon standing beside her. He gave her a nod.

"No," he commanded. "We first must check to see if she suffered any fatal wounds." He helped the other two carry her to the bed.

"But Cherrymon," if we don't start the procedure now, we may not have the time to assess her situation later," argued the rose digimon.

"Rosemon, this is no time to start a debacle. Proceeding without proper examination would be futile on any of our parts." He leaned in closer, and began to inspect the girl that lay on the bed.

Rosemon looked at him, astonished. She wasn't in the medical department of the palace, so she didn't know what to do. "It's my orders, Cherrymon, to see that the girl lives—,"

"And she will if you let me do my job," he interrupted her. He took out his stethoscope, and began to press the cold device on the girl's upper chest.

She eyed him, but said nothing else.

"Doctor Cherrymon," the lily flower beside him mannerly approached. "Rosemon may be correct on this one; I believe the girl may be hemorrhaging."

"What makes you say that?" he questioned, still busy pressing the cold device on the girl.

"Because she's coughing out blood, sir," she shouted.

He shot up, from leaning over, and looked over the girl's mouth. Her face had swollen purple, and her lips were covered in blood. He looked at the other two in the room, before looking back at the girl. "This may much more serious than I thought. Quick," he shouted, his face looking grim, "Nurse Lillymon, get me Doctor Oakmon and the brain surgeon, "Sunamon,"

Lillymon looked at him stunned. "But—," she began, but was interrupted by his hand. She saw him eye her sternly. She gave him a nod, and the sped off to fetch the other doctors.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Rosemon, her voice uneasy. She looked over to the girl, noticing how rapidly her face became a darker shade.

"She's experiencing hematoma," he stated grimly. "I believe her cranium and neck may be severely injured, but I have yet to diagnose them. That's why I need Oakmon and Sunamon*. They both have treated head and upper body injuries before."

She nodded to him. "It's my duty to report to her majesty of recent incidents."

"Don't bother," he demanded. "You won't get a report. Not yet, at least. Not until we are sure what may have caused her injury."

There and then, Lillymon arrived, bringing with her a stocky looking brown digimon and to the right of him, stood a much more gelatinous red-colored figure. "I brought Sunamon and Oakmon, sir," she announced.

"Excellent," he replied. "Oakmon, Sunamon, we must hurry now, if we are to save the girl,"

They both nodded in unison, walking over to where the girl lay. "What's she experiencing?" the odd-looking tree asked him.

"I believe its hematoma, but I'm not completely sure yet. That's why I had Lillymon bring you both over. We have to diagnose her cranium to check for any damaged tissue or capillaries."

"And you believe she may have suffered some brain injury?" the jelly-like digimon asked him. He began to lift the girls head, turning it left and right, before grunting.

"I believe so," he stated. "Her head must've suffered severe injury, he repeated, "but I have yet to determine what."

The three began pulling out strange devices and odd-shaped instruments that they used on Zoe, to diagnose her body. Her head had swollen much more, and she was beginning to breathe in slower breaths of air.

Both Lillymon and Rosemon sat outside the curtain-enclosed space, waiting for any orders that they might receive from any of the three doctors. They both remained silent, unknowing of what to say to each other. Then one of them spoke.

"You know," Lillymon began, "she may be in a critical state, but I believe she may live." She reassured the rose digimon who sat next to her.

The other digimon raised an eye. "Oh," she started. "And you would know this because…?"

"Despite me being a nurse, I have seen Oakmon, Cherrymon and Sunamon at work. They have saved countless of digimon over the years. I'm just glad to know that the girl is in safe hands."

The rose digimon eyed her once-counterpart, before turning her attention to the right. She heard footsteps coming from outside the hospital wing.

"What is it?" Lillymon questioned her.

"Sh," she quickly interceded. "I think someone may be coming."

They both stared at the direction that Rosemon had been previously looking at, waiting for the "someone" to enter the room. A few seconds passed by, before the wing's doors were opened wide, revealing a teenage boy, wearing a red-plaid shirt, a pair of black jeans and matching shoes. He ran over to where they sat.

"Zoe?" he quickly asked, panting as he did. They pointed to the curtain-concealed room, before looking back at him. He nodded, and was ready to run in there, but was blocked by a hand that shot in front of him. "Hey," he shouted to the rose digimon that stopped him. "What's your deal man?" he shouted. He was clearly out of it.

The rose digimon eyed him. "It's no use of you going in there. All you'll do is distract the doctors from doing their jobs. Unless you want to lower the girl's chances of living, I suggest you sit-down and wait for any news," she vexed.

He stared back at her, before letting out a sigh in defeat. He sat across from both Lillymon and Rosemon. "I just couldn't wait any longer," he started, his voice shaky. "I kept thinking about her state, and how she looked so miserable. I- I don't know. I guess I wanted to come in here and help her or something. I hate feeling so worthless," he shouted the last part angrily.

They both stared at him. "You won't be worthless for too long," Rosemon stated. She saw him look up. "Once the doctors finish healing Zoe, you'll both be able to play your parts in saving the Digital World."

"That's not what I meant," he grumbled.

"I know," she placed her hand in the air, to reassure him. "What I meant was that Zoe will be fine. How else will she be able to play her part, if she is dead?" she asked him. That seemed to bring a smile to his face. She was glad. She hated dealing with emotional situations.

"I guess you're right," he mumbled, lowering his head afterwards. "Maybe I worry too much."

"Don't worry about it," the lily digimon assured to him. "Your friend will be fine. She may be experiencing severe trauma right now, but if the girl is anything like the legends tell us, she'll live through it."

"What do you mean?" he posed, wondering what she meant by it.

Rosemon glowered at her. She saw the glare, and retreated her head into her shoulders. "Lillymon, it is not our place to tell the boy anything of what is currently happening in the Digital World," the rose-digimon scolded the nurse.

"I know…," she stuttered, not being able to say anything. Her face grew dark.

"Tell me what?" he interjected.

Rosemon turned to look at him. "It's not our place to inform of you of the current events taking place in the Digital World. In doing so, it will compromise our situation?"

"In plain English*," he vexed.

"She means that the queen has to be the one to tell you what's going on," the lily-girl leaned over Rosemon, to look at him. "If any of us tell you, without her royal permission, we'll face dire consequences… or something like that." She saw Rosemon give her a glare, from her peripheral vision. She quickly noticed it, and leaned back on the white bench.

He failed to notice it, and continued on further with the questioning. "Well, what does the queen want to tell me?" he asked, uncaring about whether it would compromise either Rosemon or Lillymon's situations.

Rosemon beamed at him, but then turned her gaze to the curtain-enclosed bedroom. She didn't say another word, but rather, stood from her position, and began to walk towards it.

The other two watched as she closed the curtain behind her, concealing herself within its small space. "Psh, what's her problem," he asked the girl beside him, after he made sure that the rose-digimon could not hear him.

She shook her head, then looked at him. "Don't take her the wrong way." She chided. She saw him look at her, his face in a stunned expression. She gave him a weak smile. "It's not her fault why she's that way. She has to be."

"Why," he asked curiously. He scooted towards her, leaving a few inches between them.

"Because she's a Royal Guardian," she admitted. "All Royal Guardians have to be that way. It's their job." She lowered her gaze, looking down on the floor before her.

He noticed her expression, but decided to keep pressing further. He wanted to know at least, a little bit about what's changed in the Digital World, since his last adventure. "What's a Royal Guardian?" he posed. He gave her a smile, to help elevate her mood. She didn't seem to notice it.

She sighed, her gaze still lowered. "They are protectors of the digital world," she declared. "There are ten kingdoms within the Digital World; each has a king or queen to protect it. These kings and queens are powerful digimon, far more powerful than most other digimon of their level. But even with all that power, they still can't protect themselves and their citizens, so they have—,"

"The Royal Guardians to protect them," he finished for her. She looked up to give him a nod. "So, these Royal Guardians," he continued, "who do they have to protect them?"

"No one," she confessed. She continued to look at him, staring at him straight in the eyes. "They command a royal brigade called the Advent of Knights." She saw him give her a questioning expression. "It's a type of legion of digimon," she continued. "Each kingdom allows only a certain amount of digimon to enter the brigade, usually between 500 to 1000 or so. Then, each digimon is assigned a role of some kind."

"Like?" he questioned. He shifted his weight on the bench, before allowing her to continue.

"Well, for instance," she pointed at herself, "I'm ranked at the 33rd spot of the Advent of Knights board for the Forest Kingdom. My job is to do clerical work, nursing, and any form of medical assisting. It's much harder than you think, especially with all the injured digimon coming in nowadays." She stated the last part slowly.

"So, it's kind of like a job then," he asked her.

She eyed him. "If by job, you mean, having to assist the kingdom in mundane and domestic matters, than yes. Although, I don't know how you humans see it."

Her grinned sheepishly at her. "It doesn't matter, any job that sounds like a job, is a job to me, he alliterated.

She laughed at that. "You're a funny human. It's nice to have you around. Usually it's only sick digimon and commanders who walk in here. Hardly a place where others smile, if ever."

He noticed her gaze drop again, and then looked away. "It's Takuya, by the way," he announced.

She looked at him, interrupted from her thoughts. "Huh?"

"My name, it's Takuya. You don't have to call me "human" and you don't have to feel bad about the digimon that are coming in here." He smiled at her, before continuing. "Sure, okay, I may not know what's going on here. But I have a good guess, that my friends and I weren't just sucked back in the digital world just for the heck of it." He saw her eye him carefully. "The last time my friends and I were taken to the Digital World, it was to save Lady Ophanimon," he started again. "We found out that some guy named Cherubimon was the culprit. So he went all virus on us, sure, but in the end we were able to save him. But then some Royal Knight's came after us, and—,"

"Oh, I heard of this story," she interrupted him. "Lilamon use to tell me it, back when I was still a Palmon. She said something along the lines of how, two of the Royal Knights betrayed their royal code. She said they went rogue, and began to scan all of their world's data. Only to have the digimon they were releasing, betray them in return."

He smiled at her. "Yeah, that's it. By the way, the digimon's name was Lucemon."

"Lucemon…,' she repeated softly, under her breathe. "You mean the eight-winged angel digimon?"

He nodded to her. "The one and only. But um… anyways," he started, while scratching the back of his head. He wanted to get back to the point he was making. "What I'm trying to say is that, whatever is happening in the Digital World right now, I'm sure we'll find some way to save it. We did the first time."

She looked at him, a weak smile spreading across her face. She saw him give her a smile in return, so she took the chance to say what had been on her mind, since he entered the room. "I have a question for you?" she asked.

"Sure, ask me anything," he replied.

"Are you worried for your friend in there?" she asked, while pointing towards the curtain-enclosed space.

He shifted his direction towards the small room, before looking back at her. "Of course," he stated softly. "I may not seem like it, but I'm actually really scared. And I mean really, really scared for her right now." He repeated. "It's just…," he sighed, lowering his gaze before continuing. "I try not to worry about these sort of things, because then it messes me up you know."

She eyed him, noticing the sad expression on his face. "It's silly of me to ask that, isn't it?" she knowingly asked. It was all she could think of to say.

"No," he breathed. "It's okay that you did. I was actually beginning to wonder that myself." He saw her eye him, questionably. "What I mean is, I thought maybe something was wrong with me. When I found Zoe in the garden, I didn't know what to do, but for some reason, I didn't feel… there. I don't know how to explain it, but, for some reason, I felt like as if I didn't know her for a while. I don't know, I can't really explain it." He scratched the back of his head in nervousness. He saw that she was about to say something, but was interrupted by someone shouting her name.

"Lillymon," a feminine voice called from the small room, where Zoe was located. "I need to speak to you," the voice commanded. They both figured it had to be Rosemon. She was the only female in there besides Zoe.

"Okay, right away," she replied back. She looked at Takuya, giving him a nod, before leaving.

He watched as she entered the small room, before slouching back on the white bench. He closed his eyes to think. Several minutes passed, before something hit his shoulder.

"Awake, boy," a voice commanded.

He opened his eyes to find himself looking at a purple-flowered digimon. She seemed to be wearing, what looked like the bottom of a ball gown on her shoulders and legs. "Who are you?" he lazily asked. He yawned, noticing how tired he was. He hasn't slept since he went to look for Zoe, and that was hours ago.

"Come with me," she ordered, while ignoring his question.

"What for?" he asked, clearly refusing to get up and leave. He didn't want to, not until he made sure Zoe was okay.

"The queen has requested for you to come see her." She vexed.

She was irritated, but why, he didn't know. He sighed, before looking at the curtain-room. She must've noticed, because she then offered him some advice.

"Don't worry about the girl," she implored. "Despite the situation, the doctors here are very good at what they do. They may not seem like it, but they have saved countless of lives before… including mine," she added.

He eyed her, raising an eyebrow.

She sighed. "We have to go, young master. The queen will like to see you now."

"Young master?" He joked. He spread a smile across his face. "That's a new one."

"Let's go," she remarked, refusing to acknowledge the reason for his sudden expression.

He obeyed. He quickly got up, looking back one more time at the curtain-room, before trailing behind Lotosmon, who was already leaving the hospital wing. They walked a few corridors and chambers, before finally having to climb a large set of stairs.

"The queen resides at the top-most chamber above this castle. It is there, where we must go," she mentioned, before walking up the stairs.

He looked up, noticing how many flights of stairs there were. "We have to climb all that," he stated the obvious. "Well Takuya," he said to himself, "you gotta' do, what you gotta do." He sighed, before following Lotosmon from behind.

They climbed the flight of stairs, pausing every now and then to let Takuya rest. He didn't know why he was having a hard time. He was fit, healthy and strong. Yet, he couldn't seem to muster the energy to climb several steps, without resting. Lotosmon, who was vexed, impatiently waited for him, while he regained his energy.

"You wouldn't be so tired, young master, if you had received your spirit already." She stated.

"My wah—," he paused to pant. He was holding on to his knees.

"Nothing." She remarked. "We're almost there," she said, while pointing to the top.

He looked up, before looking back at her. "Can you carry me?" he asked.

She eyed him, trying to figure out whether he was joking or not. "This isn't a time to play games, young master," she hissed.

"I –I- I'm not," he stammered, while clenching his jaw tight. He was sweating profusely. "I don't know," he panted, "but for some reason… I'm out of enr- energy."

She stopped to look at him, finally examining his body. She noticed he was panting and wheezing, while holding on to his knees. "Young master," she queried, "will you need my assistance?"

He beamed at her, giving her the "what do you think" look. "What do you think?" he retorted.

She noticed his sudden anger, but quickly shook the thought. "Very well," she chided. She tried to pick him up, but stopped after noticing how much heavier he was. "I won't be able to lift you. You're much heavier than you look."

He looked at her. "I don't think I weigh that much, for a digimon not to be able to carry me?" he posed.

"Well," she started, while pressing her back with her hands. 'It seems I am one of those digimon who can't," she hissed. "Really though, it isn't that many steps before we reach the top. Can't you simply climb the rest?"

He looked up again. "I guess. Besides, for some reason, I feel normal again." He shot a smile to her, before beginning to climb the steps again.

She watched as he climbed, angry at him. She was brooding to say something to him, but second-guessed it. She figured he wasn't worth it. Not for now, at least.

As they climbed the last flight of stairs, Takuya was the first to speak again. "So, what does the queen want to speak to me about anyways?"

She gazed at him. "I'm not entirely sure on this, but I believe she wants to converse with you, about the state of the Digital World."

"You mean the reason why we returned to the Digital World?"

"Oh, so you know about it?"

He grinned at her. "Well isn't it obvious? It doesn't really take genius to figure out, that we're here for a better reason than just visiting."

"I suppose," was all she said.

They quit conversing, once they reached the top of the stairs. Takuya looked at the grand door that stood before him. It was embroidered with golden laces, and painted a soft-violet color. Vines and creeping ivy stuck out from the ends, indicating that there was a garden on the other side.

"Well, we going in there or not?" he was the first to speak, after they stood for a few moments.

"I'm not allowed to enter," she stated. "I was charged to strictly bring you here. Pass this point I am relieved from my duty. What happens in there is between you and the queen."

He eyed her. "Well if you say so," he breathed softly. He prepared himself to open the door, but paused when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He turned to face Lotosmon.

"Whatever happens," she began, "I must warn you now. The queen is rather weak at the moment. If she may seem out of it, it's because she has been using her energy to keep the barrier over the kingdom, steady. Whatever you do, do not upset her majesty. Do you understand?" Her voice was commanding.

He nodded to her.

"Very well," she stated. "Good luck, young master. From this point on, I can no longer be by your side."

He eyed her, letting out a sheepish grin. "Jeez, Lotosmon, you make it sound like as if you're going to die or something. Lighten up will ya'?" he joked. She didn't laugh at it. He watched as she gave him a weak smile, before turning to climb back down the stairs.

He let out a long breath, before turning back to face the door. "Well, here I go," he spoke aloud, while opening the doors that led him into the queen's chamber.

* * *

**-Digital World-POV: Koji **

It all seems so surreal. The moment when I entered the Digital World. It felt so different. It wasn't anything like the first time. There was something there. I couldn't determine what it was, but it was there. I felt it inside of me. I felt… small, hopeless, a sense of un-belonging. Like an intruder invading someone's home. I felt… I feel, different.

"Koji, Koji," Blumemon* called to me. She was running to me with a bouquet of flowers in her hand. I stopped thinking about the things running through my head, while smiling at the small flower-budded girl. Blumemon looked like a walking rose, with her head pocketed into the bloom of the flower. Her vines stuck out with frails of leaves and small thorns sticking out from the root of her legs.

"Yeah," I replied, running towards her, meeting her half-way.

"I have something to tell you," she happily cried. "It's a message from the Forest Kingdom".

"The Forest Kingdom," I repeated slowly. I didn't want to think about that. The kingdom had offered me to come see the queen who requested my audience, but I declined. I didn't want to go just yet, not until I found my friends. I stopped thinking again, noticing the flower-girl eyeing me carefully.

"You okay?" she questioned with worry.

"Yeah, I replied. "It's just, I already told you guys that I won't go. Not until I find my friends."

"That's the thing," she assured, her voice squeaking. Her voice sounded a bit nasally. "The kingdom has found two of your friends already!" she announced.

My eyed grew wide. "What?" I shouted. "When?"

"Yesterday!" she exclaimed. "They found a boy yesterday morning and a girl later that evening. It's the talk of the town."

"That's great," I exclaimed. "But um… where are they?" I asked the obvious.

"They're at the palace, apparently a Mushroomon and Vegiemon found the girl, but as for the boy… I don't know who found him," she stated, while holding her free hand to her head.

_A girl and a boy,_ I thought. _One of them must be Zoe, but the other… _"Then that's where we're headed," I announced. She looked at me in bewilderment.

"Really!?" she cried, a smile spreading across her face. "Oh, that's great news, I'll go tell Blossomon. She'll be so happy," she mused. She walked to the back of the tree-house. I watched as she disappeared behind an enormous root that stuck out from the ground.

I wasn't really psyched about meeting the queen just yet, but if it got me closer to reuniting with some of my friends, then I was happy to do anything. I figured that with another member of the group, at least we can look for the others more easily. I waited a little longer, standing by the front of the house, until I saw a giant plant stick walking towards me.

"So, I hear you're planning to finally go to the palace," Blossomon mused. I nodded my head at her. "Well that's good," she cried. "It's finally time you met the queen, she's been itching to meet you since you arrived two days ago."

"Well, the queen apparently has found two of my friends. It's not like I have a choice now, is it?" I explained. I walked over to the front door, ready to leave.

"Leaving so soon?" Blumemon called after me. She appeared from the room adjacent to the front of the house.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I was heading out to look for my friend anyways. Now I don't have to." I shot her a small smile. "Besides, I'm sure the queen would like to have a word with me, now that there are two other "humans" in the palace."

She lowered her head. "Well, I suppose," she uttered softly. She quickly looked up, smiling as she did. "No, you're right. It's the queen we're talking about here!"

"That's the spirit," I joined. I walked over to her, and patted her head. "Don't worry, I'll return." I softly smiled to reassure her.

"I know you will," she cried. "Just try not to get lost in the palace. I hear it's big inside there."

"I will," I shouted back, as I left out the door. I emerged from the inside, to stare at the small city before me. The town was bustling with life. I could see digimon walking and talking, every one of them doing their best to pretend that there was nothing going on outside the palace walls. I didn't blame them. I too, would have done the same, if I was in their position. No one wanted to feel powerless, much less, invaluable.

I sighed, before carrying on towards my destination. I had come to the city, two days ago, when a pack of Floramon found me knocked out behind some bush. At first, I didn't know whether I was hallucinating or not. It was hard to believe I had retuned to the Digital World; especially when the last thing I remember was being at the park.

They carried me over to the palace grounds, where I was then requested to stay for the night, by a digimon called Lotosmon. I declined her offer, telling her I wanted to find my friends first. She was against it at first, but eventually, she gave in. She told me if finding my friends was that important to me, then there was nothing she would do, to stop me.

That's when Blumemon and Blossomon took me in. Ever since, I have been using my waking hours looking for my friends' outside the palace walls. A few digimon accompanied me, by order of Lotosmon. I wanted to believe that my friends were in the Digital World. There was no way I was going to think otherwise.

Now, I walk towards the palace, fully knowing that my friends _have_ come to the Digital World. I sighed, before speeding off, wondering who the boy could have been. _Maybe, it's Koichi,_ I thought. I ran several times, stopping to catch my breath, before continuing. I was in hurry. Every, second spent wondering who the boy could be, made me riled. A few years back, when I first came to the Digital World, I would have snickered at the thought of joining up with others, much less, team up with them. But, ever since my adventure's here, I had found out about myself. It changed me— for the better.

I spent more time thinking and wondering, until I finally reached the bottom of the palace steps. Luckily for me, Blossomon's sort-of-tree-house was close to the palace. So the jog didn't take too long. I looked up, staring at the palace. Its walls were made of stone in the color of cream, pillars holding the sides. Creeping-ivy hung from the rooftops, and branched their way down to the floor. The rooftop was composed of glass, revealing the top most floor of the palace.

I gave one last look to the palace, before running of up the steps. I hoped my friends would be waiting for me there.

* * *

**-Fauna Palace-Inside the Queen's Chamber-12: 34 P.M.**

Takuya walked towards the back of the room, noticing all the shrubbery, foliage and trees abundant within it. The room itself was decorated high and low with ivy and other hanging vines. The ceiling soared twenty-four feet into the air, covered by a giant glass dome. He figured that it acted as a vent, much like a greenhouse. He strode through the exotic garden, taking in its sights, until he finally reached the throne of the queen.

"Welcome, young man, to the palace of the Forest Kingdom."

He gazed at the digimon that sat before him. Amazed at what he saw. She resembled a human, in every way. Her head was embroidered with vines, and her hair flowed with colors of auburn and red. The attire she wore seemed to be made of cotton and silk, which flowed elegantly down her figure. Her eyes glowed with the colors of amber and hazel. Though it was her lips that caught his attention— they were a deep purple, like the color of venom.

He walked towards her, growing more nervous, after every step. He halted once he reached the foot of her throne. He bowed on his knee, something he's never done before.

"Rise, young man," she spoke with a soft-elegant voice. "There is no need to bow to me."

He stared at her, while rising.

"I am Lierremon*," she proclaimed. "The Rose of the Vale."

"It's nice to meet you," he spoke formerly. "My name's Takuya Kanbara."

"So you are," she spoke. "Nevertheless, I have called you here, to inform you of the current situation in the Digital World. As I trust you have heard of it?"

He nodded his head. "I've seen a little of the Digital World when a Stumpmon showed me a small battlefield somewhere around this region. I was amazed to see that the digimon in the plain weren't turned back into data. Their bodies were scattered all across the field," he exclaimed.

"That is due to the creatures of the Dark Area."

"I know," he alluded. "Though that's what I don't get." He noticed her look at him, without saying a word. He took this as a sign to continue. "When we first came to the Digital World four years ago, we fought many digimon. And every time, no matter what, when a digimons data was scanned, they always turned back into eggs. The same was with Lucemon. And he was from the Dark Area. Though what I saw on that field the other day, was nothing like when we fought Lucemon. It's like as if they had more than their fractal code scanned or something."

"That is because they were," she boomed, her voice echoing through the room.

He gawked at her wide-eyed; stunned by her words. "What do you mean?" he queried, his voice a little shaky.

"The digimon of the Dark Area have found a way to scan a digimon's entire code. Previously, digimon could only be absorbed by their fractal code, allowing them to be restored through a digiegg. The data from a digiegg contains elements from the world's natural restoration process." She paused, to allow his mind to absorb what was being said.

"Natural restoration process," he repeated back. "So, digimon are reprogrammed then, to continue on. Much like when we battled Cherubimon, and his digiegg reversed back into a Lopmon, purifying him."

"Correct, though the same can't be said now," she clarified. He looked at her. "As I have stated, the digimon of the Dark Area have found a way to scan the data from a digimon, allowing them to, not only absorb their fractal code, but as well, their core-data. In other words, they destroy a digimon's ability to resurrect back into digieggs."

He was shocked, by what he heard. "But if digimon can't turn back into digieggs, that means…," his eyed grew wide.

"It means they won't be able to come back to life, ever again!" a voice chimed in.

Takuya turned to look, towards the direction of the voice. He grinned. "Koji!" he yelled.

"Hey, Takuya," he stated coolly. He walked over to his friend, giving him a sheepish grin. Behind him was a blonde-haired girl with green eyes.

Takuya noticed her as well. His smile became larger, If possible. "Zoe," he breathed. "You're okay!?"

She looked at him, smiling as she did. "Yeah, silly. What'd you think, I was gonna' die or something?"

He stopped smiling. "Well no," he gasped. "It's just… I…," he began to scratch the back of his head.

"Don't worry about it Takuya. I'm fine now; the doctors downstairs didn't have to do much."

This time it was Koji's turn to be shocked. "What?!" he shouted, while turning to face her.

She eyed. "Well sure, didn't you know I was in the hospital wing?" she asked him, with a blank expression.

He nodded to her. "I didn't know. I just assumed you were roaming the castle or something. I mean, you didn't say anything about it, when Rosemon led us up here."

Takuya finally joined in. "Wait, Zoe," he started, cutting the other two, "how exactly did you heal so fast? Lillymon told me that you were in severe trauma. I may be no medical expert, but when there are three doctors operating on you, I assume it to be a big deal."

"They didn't operate on me. If guys would just listen," she chided. "When Sunamon, Okamon and Cherrymon were diagnosing me, Rosemon came in. I could barely see then, but I noticed her enter the room. I don't know, but somehow after that, my vision became less blurry. The doctors noticed my face was less swollen. So they began to inject me with some medicine.

"Is that what healed the rest of you?" Koji interrupted.

She beamed at him. "No. Actually, my body rejected the medicine, because I ended up spitting it out. I don't know why. Soon after that, I started to feel my hands and legs. At first, they felt numb, but then the feeling started to return to me. That's when Rosemon called in Lillymon."

"Ah, so it was Rosemon who called her," Takuya interrupted. He stood erect, after he noticed Zoe beam at him.

"Anyways, long story short, my body healed by itself after that, so the doctors didn't really do anything. They said it was a miracle, but I don't think so."

"Why's that?" the boys said in unison.

"Because I could feel it. The power inside me, I mean," she growled, while raising her fists to her shoulder. It's like as if I was different, yet the same inside. I didn't feel lonely, or scared. I felt…," she paused, and then corrected herself, "I feel stronger now."

"I don't get it," Takuya sighed, holding his palms to the air.

"It's because she has the warrior of wind inside of her," the queen spoke aloud, for the first time since Koji and Zoe entered the room.

The three turned to look at her, Takuya blushing in nervousness, because he had forgotten she was there for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Koji asked.

"The warrior of wind has finally become one with Zoe. Her body went through a difficult change as it adapted to the new host within her, but I see now the spirit has accepted her completely." She said the last part, while eyeing Zoe.

"Her spirit?" Takuya uttered under his breath. "You mean Zoe has the wind spirit, inside of her?" he asked the queen.

She nodded. "Yes, that is why she feels different now. No longer is she a human within the Digital World, but rather, a hybrid. A new type of species, created by the mixture of human and digimon."

"Human-digimon," the three chorused.

Takuya was the first to ask, what he was sure, the other two were thinking. "Weren't we hybrids already when we transformed into digimon, four years ago?"

The queen looked at them. "Though you were able to transform into digimon four years ago, you never were truly digimon. Nor' were you ever truly one with your spirit. When the spirits chose all of you, they created a bond. A bond that is now more prominent."

"Exactly what is this bond?" Zoe asked. She looked at hands, eyeing them as if they were a new gadget or toy.

The queen looked at her. "It's a bond shared only between the spirits and their host. But in this case, Zoe Orimoto, the spirit is one with you. Meaning, that you are one and the same. No longer needing a third party device to be able to transform into the warrior of wind."

"In other words…," Koji thought aloud.

"In other words, Zoe,' Lierremon pointed at the blonde, "You _are_ the Warrior of Wind, from this day on and forever after."

"You mean I am a digimon and human?" she gasped, holding her hand to her mouth. The other two stared at her.

"How'd this happen?" Takuya asked the queen.

"When she absorbed the wind spirit back in the garden."

"The garden?" the three chorused one more. Zoe, feeling shocked, went over to a nearby tree and slunk down, leaning on it for support. She held her hand to her head, feeling somewhat dazed. Takuya walked over to her.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned about her well-being.

She looked up, smiling at him. "Yeah, I guess it just hit me hard, that's all. I sort of figured it had to with the Wind Spirit, but, I don't know… I guess it just didn't hit me until now."

"What had to do with the Wind Spirit," Koji interrupted, while walking over to where she lay.

"The thing I placed in my heart," she admitted. "Some strange looking medallion, it had a hard heart inscribed in the middle. Some digimon gave it to me, and then forced me to join her. I transformed into Kazemon, and fought her back," she grinned at the last part, while swinging a fist to the air.

"You transformed into Kazemon," Takuya happily bellowed.

"What digimon?" Koji asked, cutting Takuya short.

She looked at the both of them. "Her name was Nacreousmon. She was—,"

"She is one of the ten titan digimon," Lierremon interrupted. She stood from her throne, and began to walk towards them. "An evil digimon, Nacreousmon. I assume she handed over to you a crest, allowing you to transform in Kazemon. But for what purpose is unclear to me. You say she tried to force you into joining her?" she asked. She stood next to Takuya, standing a few inches shorter than him.

Zoe stood from her position. "Yes, she said something about displeasing, 'His Supremacy', if I didn't," she stated, emphasizing His Supremacy.

The queen looked shock. The three stared at her in concern. "Is something wrong?" Koji asked.

"This isn't good," she whispered, while holding her hand to her chin. She looked at them, before turning. "Follow me," she stated, already beginning to walk back to her throne.

They did as she commanded, none of them saying a word. The four walked over to where the throne sat. Lierremon began to poke around behind the throne, letting out an "aha" before backing away. They let out small laugh.

The throne that once stood seated at the center of the platform began to move, revealing a set of stairs, which extended to the bottom.

"Come," the queen commanded. She climbed down the stairs, with the three following closely behind.

As they entered the room, the three looked around noticing, how different the room was, from the rest of the castle. The room was layered with small flowers, and tiny branches that colored the walls. The flooring was a soft type of grass that flowed by an unknown breeze. Among a corner, was a pond located, flowing down a small stream, with a pavilion located at it's side. The scenery resembled a type of fantasy usually created by artists.

"This is the immaculate heart that flows within the kingdom. It is here, where the barrier is created, which governs the outside walls, and allows the kingdom to flourish with plant-life," the queen announced.

They stared at the room a little longer, before allowing their eyes to fall at the center of the room. "What's that?" asked Zoe, while pointing at a small green-orb that rested on an axis piece.

"This," the queen began, while walking over towards the sphere. "Is the central governance for the entire Forest Kingdom." Her hands hovered over the sphere, gliding them about, before the orb animated to life.

It spun in the air, before falling back on its original space. It then rattled, until finally creating a grand hologram, which extended throughout the entire room.

They all, but the queen, awed as the hologram began to take shape, creating small bits of data, showing the entire region: its altitude, climate and more. A few minutes passed, before the orb settled on its axis, still animated, but immobile.

"Hey, look at that!" Zoe exclaimed, while pointing at a small cave, created by the hologram.

They all looked to where she was pointing.

"Hey, that's the cave where we were staying at," Takuya exclaimed. "Remember Zoe, you, me and Tom—," he abruptly stopped. He eyes were wide. He stared at the others, shocked. "Tommy," he muttered. He looked at Zoe. "Zoe," he began, "what happened to, Tommy?" he asked suddenly.

She lowered her gaze. "I thought he was with you," she mumbled, barely audible. "When I woke up outside the cave, I- I tried to look for the both of you, but, for some reason I couldn't find you guys."

He looked at her, facing the side of her head. He let out a small sigh, before turning to look at Lierremon. "Does this device having a tracking system or something similar?" he asked, while pointing to the luminous sphere.

Lierremon, eyed him. "Yes, but it can only find humans and digimon within the kingdom. Anywhere past the gridline, and the sphere won't be able to locate him."

"Meaning?" he questioned.

"Meaning, that your friend is no longer within the region of the forest kingdom. If he was, the device would have alerted me," she replied, while facing the sphere. She noticed the grim expressions on their faces, and closed her eyes, full knowing this wasn't the time to bring up negative matters. Though, it couldn't wait. "We must discuss the matter at hand," she uttered, interrupting the silence.

They all looked up, blank in expression.

"You will find your friend later, but at the moment, we must discuss what happened between Nacreousmon and Zoe."

They looked at her, each sharing a glance, before nodding their heads in agreement.

"Excellent," she cried. She reached over to the sphere, and beginning moving her hands about, causing the grid to distort. A few moments passed, before she settled her hands at her side again. "This," she announced, while opening her arms wide, "is the Encyclopédie des données, it contains all the information needed for me to understand the Digital World's current state. The sphere had created a holographic board at the back of the room.

"And this will help us find our friend?" Koji finally spoke, since entering the room.

The queen nodded her head, causing him to frown. "It may not be able to find your friend, but it will show us the information you all may need."

"And that's…," he queried, allowing her to finish for him.

"The information needed to guide you on your quest. Zoe," she started. The girl looked at her attentively. "You stated that Nacreousmon had given to you a small medallion which contained a heart at the center, correct?" The girl nodded. She eyed the rest of them, "Can any of you take a guess at what that medallion may be?" she asked, already knowing what their answer would be.

The nodded in unison.

"It's a crest," she announced. She began to move her fingers about the board, shuffling its data. They looked as she distorted the graph, before finally showing a pair of ten emblems, each with a small insignia at the center. "Look," she demanded, standing aside for the others to see.

They looked up at the small objects that lay on the screen. "That's the one Nacreousmon gave me," Zoe declared, while pointing at a small pink crest, with a heart at the center.

"That is the Crest of Love," Lierremon clarified. "It represents bird and wind digimon, so it's no wonder why she would give you it. But the question is why?" she began to prod.

"What do you mean," she asked. She seemed to be doing that a lot.

"Well, as I have stated before, Nacreousmon is a titan digimon." They looked at her with question expressions. "The titan digimon are creatures from the Dark Area."

They mouthed an 'o' in unison.

"So, what you're saying, Takuya, remarked, "is that a creature from the Dark Area gave Zoe the power to transform back into Kazemon?" he asked the already stated. "Wouldn't that be counter-productive?"

"Takuya," Koji began.

"Yeah, bud," he replied.

"Just… just, think about what you're saying next time," he chuckled.

He pondered at the thought for a while, before it finally hit him. His face reddened.

"Anyways…," Zoe stated slowly. She turned to face Lierremon again. "About the reason why Nacreousmon gave the crest to me."

"First, you must know." She continued. "It is the crest that was imbued within you, Zoe, which allowed you to become one with the Spirit of Wind. Second, we must find out the reason why she would. I remember you mentioning that Nacreousmon tried to force you into coming with her?"

The girl nodded to her. "At first, I wouldn't comply after absorbing the crest, so she began to pull me. I panicked then, and the next thing I knew, my body began to feel stronger. I recognized the spirit, and used its energy to transform in Kazemon. That's when we fought, but she managed to lull me to sleep. As for, why she didn't take me when I was knocked out, I think I have a good guess too."

"The energy from Kazemon managed to block her," the queen guessed correctly,

"Yep!" Zoe cried. "That's what happens when you mess with a strong girl like me!"

The boys looked at her, grinning sheepishly. "You sure that's the reason?" Takuya remarked, smiling while he did.

"What do you mean by that?" Zoe retorted.

He raised his hands to the air. "I don't know. Maybe it's because—,"

"Enough," Koji shouted to interrupt him.

They stared at him. He noticed, and began to blush. "It's not right to keep interrupting Lierremon," he vexed. They eyed him, before turning back to face the queen.

"Thank you, Koji," she stated. She gave hima smile, before turning back to face the screen. "As I was saying, the energy from the Wind Spirit managed to block Nacreousmon's advances. Though, I think I may take a guess… as you humans say, to why she had given Zoe the crest of love."

They looked at her; everyone listening attentively.

"If I'm correct," she began. She turned towards the sphere, moving it about, while distorting the data on the board once more. Several seconds passed, before she stopped tot run back to the board. "This," she began, represents the ten regions of the world." She pointed towards a map of the Digital World.

"That's where we are?" Takuya proclaimed. He was pointing at the southern part of the Digital World.

"Yes, this area here," she circled with her finger, "is the Forest Kingdom. The area beside it," she moved her hand to the left, "is the Earth Kingdom. The area on the right is the Wind Kingdom."

"What regions are in the continent above it?" Koji mentioned.

"That is the Fire Kingdom," she pointed towards the center of the continent. "To the bottom-right corner of that one, is the Thunder Kingdom."

"What about those," Zoe questioned while pointing her two index fingers in opposite directions. She was referring to the twin continents on the western and eastern parts. "They look like the yin-yang signs," she pointed out.

"That," the queen began while pointing towards the bottom-most eastern area, "is where the Dark Kingdom resides. And above it," she moved her finger upwards, "is where the Ice Kingdom is located."

'So the continent on the left is where the Light Kingdom is," Koji guessed.

The queen nodded her head. "And below it, is where the Metal Kingdom dwells."

"What about the last one?" Takuya posed.

The queen turned to look at him, then back at the board. "The area here," she moved her finger towards the ocean area between the top most continent and the western continent, "as you can see, is where the largest ocean is at. Do you see the small chain of islands scattered across?" She asked. They nodded to her. "The largest island here and the surrounding islands is where the Water Kingdoms exists."

"So, even though we can see the entire Digital World, "you can't tell what's on each of the regions?" Zoe asked.

"I'm afraid not," the queen replied. "This is only a map of the world. To be able to close in further would be impossible, without living in that region. Let alone, indentify the creatures living there."

She lowered her head.

"Nonetheless," the queen renounced, "the reason I show to you all, this map, is to show you what I deem to be important."

"Yeah," they remarked in unison.

"The area here," she pointed towards the island-chain, "is the domain of Nacreousmon." They looked at her, puzzled. "I'll explain. For a titan to leave their area, and travel to another region, much less travel several ones, is unheard of. Though, for her to travel here and try to persuade Zoe into joining her forces, proves that the titans know that you humans are in the Digital World."

They continued to look at her.

"This is important to know, because at first glance, it may reveal them to be desperate; maybe even foolish. Though, at second glance, it actually reveals much more."

They wondered what she meant by it, but before she could say anymore, a blast could be heard from outside the room.

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**Asterisk Marks:**

***or Japanese, if any of you guys are antsy about this.**

***Sunamon – Suna means "cell" in Latvian**

***Blumemon – Blume means "flower" in German**

***Lierremon – Lierre means "ivy" in French**

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**So I left it at a cliff-hanger. I really did not plan this cliff-hanger, but I was too tired to continue the chapter, so I cut it. There was way too much action and other things that were about to happen after this small segment, and I didn't want to write anymore. Hope you guys can forgive me. Anyways, don't forget to comment, favorite, PM, review and follow if you would like me to continue this story and/or you want to support me.**


	10. The Eye of Information

**As I upload this chapter, I feel extremely tired. So I won't be doing a recap for this chapter, but it's fine. Anyways, I finally posted this one, after a short break. I'm glad though, nonetheless. Although, I admit, I have slightly forgotten what has happened in the chapter before, so I had to reread it. Hope the beginning makes as much sense as I possible tried to make it be. As always, enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. If I did... Seasons 02 and 04 would have _WAY_ different endings, and the canon would continue.**

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**-Digital World, Fauna Palace-Inside the Queen's Hidden Chamber Room**

The room rumbled, as the noise outside increased. They could hear it all: sounds of screaming, shouting, and crying and, possibly, fear? Fear was in the voices. They realized something else was within the chamber-room upstairs. A thought that sent chill downs their spines.

"What's that sound?" Zoe cried. She had moved a little ways from the walls, as they shook.

"I don't know," Koji replied. He had fallen, due to the rumbling of the room. He tried to pick himself up, but couldn't find the strength. His head was hurting.

"I believe they have found us," Lierremon spoke up. They all looked at her.

"What do you mean?" Takuya shouted over the noise. He managed to stand firmly on the ground, while holding onto his legs for support.

"I can't explain it now," she yelled. She turned off the sphere at the center of the room. "Come, we most go before they discover us," she commanded, while motioning for them to follow her, as she walked towards the back of the room.

The small chamber began to increase in tremor, as the walls caved in. A large bellow can be heard from a distance, increasing gradually in sound.

"Something's coming?!" Zoe yelled.

"Hurry, Digidestined," Lierremon implored. She stood before a large wall, constructed with brick and stone. She tapped on a few stones, before walking back a few inches. Zoe and Takuya managed to walk to her, but Koji was having trouble standing.

"Koji, c'mon," Takuya shouted to his friend. He could see him struggling to get up. The ground before Koji was rumbling, indicating a cave in. Worried for his friend, Takuya began to walk over to him, while pacing his steps to keep from falling.

The ground moved violently, tossing the shrubbery, and other foliage around. The trees began to shrink, indicating that they were sinking in. Takuya strode carefully, as he walked over to where Koji lay. "Koji," he called, as he reached his friend. He put a hand on his shoulder. "You okay, buddy?" he asked, concerned.

The black-haired boy nodded. "Yeah, I think so. I just feel light-headed, that's all," he replied. He tried getting up again, but his legs gave way.

"Whoa, watch it there," Takuya exclaimed, as he caught his friend from falling again. "Here, let me help you," he offered. He reached out to help his friend, but his hand was slapped away.

"I said I'm fine," he shouted.

Takuya looked at him in astonishment. "I was only trying to help," he vexed. He couldn't believe that Koji was acting this way in such a time they were in.

"Yeah, well I don't need your help," he grumbled. He was clutching at his chest, trying hard to conceal the pain he was experiencing. He again attempted to stand, his legs shaking. At first it seemed to work, but then he fell.

"Koji," Takuya howled, "you need help." He was fuming.

"You guys," a voice called out, "we have to go now."

They both faced the direction where the voice came from. It was Zoe's. They looked at her, as she entered a small corridor that led somewhere. They assumed Lierremon opened it.

He turned back to face the raven-haired young man. "Koji, I don't know what's gotten into you all of a sudden, but you seem to be having a hard time standing on your own," he pressed. "But I'm telling you right now, let me help you."

He looked at him, his face solemn. He nodded. "Okay," he caved. He struggled to stand, as his friend wrapped his arm around him, hoisting him up, while partially carrying him. "But don't let this mean anything," he finished.

Takuya waved. "It won't, but next time man. Don't be such a prick," he vexed. He helped Koji move to the new opening that both Lierremon and Zoe had entered, several seconds before. They thrashed about a bit, before they finally managed to pace it correctly between each step. The earth below them increased in hostility as they made their way over to the small opening.

"We're almost there," Takuya groaned as he helped his friend walk. Koji, who seemed to be having a hard time staying awake, wheezed after every step. Takuya noticed it, but paid no mind. He couldn't. Not, until they were safe.

"C'mon you guys," Zoe shouted to them. She had returned, and was standing by the opening again.

Takuya looked up. "Well, you can try helping here," he uttered. He could see her nod to him. He sighed, while he carried the half-conscious Koji to the entrance.

Zoe, who had been previously preoccupied with their safety, finally noticed Koji struggling. "What's wrong with him" she asked the brown-haired young man. She watched as he dragged him a few ways in, before finally stepping on the stone, Lierremon told her to press, once they were all inside.

After standing on a small stone-shaped floor-button, the ceiling began to lower itself, closing off the entrance. It shook as it climbed down, slamming softly onto the ground. Takuya rested Koji next a wall, before finally standing up. He turned to face Zoe. "I don't know, but he seems to be having a hard time moving."

"I'm not," they heard him bellow. They turned to look at him, each with an expression on their faces. "Well, what's the matter with you?" Zoe retorted, while placing a hand to her hip.

He shook his head. "Nothing. What's with everyone suddenly asking me that?" he sniped.

"Jeez, buddy, calm down," Takuya intervened. Koji beamed at him. He shot back. "Look Koji, I don't know what the heck is wrong with you right now, but you seriously need to quit it." His voicing was rising again.

"Yeah, and what if I don't?" he retorted back.

"Then I'll knock some sense into ya'," he threatened. He pulled Koji up from his shirt-collar, while balling a hand into a fist.

"Guys, stop," Zoe begged. She moved in, to get between Takuya and Koji, but was pushed aside violently. She fell to the ground.

"Hey, don't push her," Takuya demanded. His nostrils flared. He looked at the raven-boy, narrowing his eyes into slits.

"Or what?" Koji provoked. He grinned sinisterly. Their faces were only inches apart.

He could see the smile on his face, only causing him to become angrier. "You don't want to know," he growled, through bared teeth. He was pushing at Koji, his body causing him to stagger.

Koji pushed back, struggling to move him. He was still feeling light-headed and dazed. "Show me," he provoked again. He was beginning to feel slightly intimidated, but refused to show that side of himself.

Zoe, who had finally gotten back up, was again trying to break them apart. "You guys," she screamed, "please stop." She felt powerless. _Maybe, I should transform into Kazemon, and stop them,_ she thought. She didn't have time, because the next thing she knew, they were fighting it out on the floor; each slamming a fist down onto the other's body, as they rolled on the ground, while tossing each other violently. She couldn't take it. She closed her eyes, contemplating on what she should do. She couldn't bare their shouts as they punched each other.

"Why do you have to be such an ass," Takuya shouted at him. He raised a fist to punch him in the gut, but missed and ended up hitting the hard floor. "Fuck!" he screamed, the pain already seething through his hand. He held onto it, by the wrist.

"That's what you get, you piece of garbage," Koji muttered, while wiping the blood on his mouth. He was seething with anger as well; though his was more controlled.

"Screw you," Takuya retorted. Still in pain from his hand, he lunged at him, while ready to strike with his other fist. They went at it again.

Zoe, who seemed to be frustrated with them, began to cry. "What's wrong with you guys?" she screamed. They ignored her, and continued fighting. "It's because of their void," a voice replied. She turned her direction towards the back of the tunnel. She saw the queen standing, eyeing the two boys as they fought. "What do you mean?" she asked, while turning her attention to them too.

"They must fight this out," was all she said. "It's the only way, so long as the void is inside them." She began to walk away again. Zoe quickly followed her, standing beside her as they walked deeper into the tunnel, while ignoring the shouts coming from both Takuya and Koji.

Zoe looked at her, her eyes fixated. "Void?" she finally queried. As they strolled in further, she noticed how a few well-placed rocks glowed with light. She could see the queen despite the evident darkness. _Much like Takuya and Koji_, she thought.

The queen nodded her head. "So long as you humans are in the Digital World, you are a part of it," she explained. "Thus, making you a part of the system that allows the data to flow naturally."

"Data?" she questioned. She could hear the boys still fighting, but preferring not to focus on that, she instead looked to Lierremon intently.

The queen noticed. "Do not worry about your friends, they'll be okay. So long as their data is not destroyed, they'll recover quickly."

Zoe looked at her in confusion. The queen talked more riddles then she could understand. She shook her head. "Start from the beginning," she finally uttered.

The queen looked at her, while they continued walking. She smiled. "Very well, I'll begin where it is more important." She could see the girl agree to it. The lights inside the cave grew brighter, the deeper they went in. After a few minutes of silence, Lierremon finally spoke up. "First, Zoe Orimoto, do you know where we are?" She looked to the blonde.

She nodded. "No," was her only reply. She couldn't hear her friends anymore. She wondered whether that was because she was too far away, or that they have stopped. She hoped it was the latter. Her premature thinking was interrupted by a bright light. She closed her eyes to shield them.

Suddenly, the tunnel began to shine strongly. It lit-up quickly, revealing meshes of wires, large screens and glass tubes that stuck out from the ceiling and hit the bottom floor.

"You can open you eyes now," the queen gestured.

Zoe slowly opened them, noting all the data that encircled the chamber. They were inside a grand white room full of technological devices and gizmos. "Where are we?" she gasped, as she starred around.

The queen walked over to a giant screen at the center of the back-wall of the room, before speaking. "We are the in the "_In Oculi Sphaera de Indicium_. Otherwise, known as, 'In the Eyes of the Information Sphere'."

She recognized the _Sphaera_ from its resemblance to the Italian word, _Sfera_. "It's Latin?" she queried.

The queen looked at her, smiling. "Very insightful. You are a smart young-woman" she praised.

She felt flustered by the compliment. "Oh, it was nothing," she modestly replied. She walked over to where the queen stood, standing beside her. "What's all this though?" she asked.

"This," the queen began, while holding out her hands to the large screen before them. "Is the central network systems, for the Digital World."

"The what?" Zoe asked confused.

"It is here where I can moderate the entire Wood Region, pass my kingdom and more," she mused.

Zoe's eyed grew wide. She looked at the queen. "Why didn't we just use this before?" she asked the obvious.

The queen nodded. "That is not how this room works," she remarked. She began to type away at the large instrument directly before them, clicking on odds and ends of the device. "This room," she continued, "is not set like the rest of the Digital World." She paused, while she pressed a few buttons here and there, causing the screen before them to show a map of the Digital World.

Zoe watched as the screen created images of the world, before turning her attention back to the queen. "So, let me guess," she began, "this room is the central area where all the Digimon's DATA is stored?"

"Close," the queen replied, while not peering her attention from the screen. "This room is not the central storage area for the DATA itself, but it does allow us to access it."

Zoe scratched her head again in confusion.

"Allow me to explain," the queen continued. "Prior to this room, we traveled through a tunnel. That tunnel serves as one of the many Digital Worlds' network links that link the entire world. In other words, it's the nerves for sending and receiving information back and forth."

"So DATA can transfer between these tunnels?" Zoe asked.

"Precisely," the queen uttered. "Now this next part might be a little confusing. You see, the room before the tunnel, the one we were in, served as a passageway into the DATA itself. It was a DATA receiver. That is why I was able to find you Digidestined, when you entered my domain."

"By domain, you don't mean dwelling place, now do you?" Zoe queried. She was starting to understand a little about how the Digital World works.

"You catch on quick," she commented. "Every DATA must have a domain to receive DATA, which then allows it to send DATA back to the address requesting it. In this case, the address is this room." She finished.

"And this room acts as the central network passage between the different regions!" Zoe exclaimed.

The queen nodded her head. "Thus' through this room, we can access the domain of any region. Allowing us to find the rest of you friends."

Her eyes grew wide. "You're kidding?!" she bellowed. She saw the queen nod. Though her smile was only for a moment. "Wait," she yelped. "I still get why we didn't just use this room, instead of the domain room?"

"I shall' explain that as well," the queen replied. "You see, this room cannot be accessed by the domain servers or any other part of the network. As I have stated previously, it is not set."

"By set you mean…?" she asked.

"That this room is inaccessible, unless the network links allow you enter it," she finished for her.

"So, what. We were just lucky to be able to enter it? And what about Takuya and Koji, if they're still back in that tunnel-link, then they won't be able to find us," she stated the last part, while pointing towards the area behind her.

The queen nodded her head again. "I don't believe so. I have only been one other time to this room, and one thing I've learned is that this room appears when there is a strong force of DATA about. In this case, I believe that this room appeared for us, because of you Digidestined. Although for us now, it was solely due to you," she stated the last part while pointing at the blonde- young woman.

"Me?' She asked, while pointing at herself. "What, we are suddenly DATA or something?"

"While you are in the Digital World, yes. Or do you not remember your previous adventures?"

Zoe nodded her head. She then looked down at her feet. "I just assumed that we could turn to DATA. I didn't think we were DATA ourselves, at least, not entirely," she admitted.

"Which brings me to the next point. When I mentioned the "void" inside your friends." The queen followed up. She was done typing away at the instrument, and now was fully focused on her.

Zoe looked up at what the queen said. "What do you mean?" she asked, while smiling softly. She was glad to be able to get back on the part that concerned her friends.

"Well," the queen began, "since you are all a form of rare DATA, seeing as how you are still humans. You lack certain traits that other living DATA have, such as Digimon."

"Like?" Zoe questioned. She sat on a nearby surface, tired from standing. She patted her hands onto lap, before allowing Lierremon to continue.

The queen waited for her to relax herself, before continuing. "Restoration DATA "for one," she started, "which allows you to be reborn as a digiegg. That by itself sets you humans apart. Also, you lack the ability to procreate, as is evident in your forms."

Her face reddened at that. "Digimon procreate?" was all she could think to ask.

"So long as their DATA forms match, than yes. Nonetheless," she cried, wanting to get back to her point. "When you all came to the Digital World the first time, things were different."

Zoe looked up at the screen, which showed the map of the Digital World. She understood what she meant by it; though she only nodded, to let the queen continue.

"When you first came," she repeated, "you were all given digivices, which allowed you to morph into digimon. The digivices by themselves acted as a gateway between the spirit warriors DATA, and human DATA. Much like this room acts as a gateway for the rest of the Digital World."

Zoe listened in intently, not wanting to miss a part. She began to fit the pieces in her mind as the queen said them. She figured where she was getting to, but wanted to hear it from her as confirmation.

"It thus filled in the void that humans lack to survive in the Digital World," the queen resumed. "Now that that same DATA is gone, there is a void of DATA missing from your central core. Which is why your friends act the way they do."

She gasped. "Wait, so you mean that as long as Takuya and the others are missing their spirits, they will be different."

"Not only different," the queen chimed, "but they as well, will steadily become more rebellious, reckless and corrupted in nature. They are a form of corrupted DATA living through no host to survive in this world."

"In other words, so long as their spirit warriors are gone, their DATA will continue to corrupt, eventually becoming…," she trailed. Her eyes grew wide, not wanting to finish what she knew the answer to be.

"A virus," the queen finished for her. "Which is why I suspect you have changed after receiving your spirit. The spirits need you as much you need them. You are both foreigners now, living within a world that cannot accept you partially."

"But aren't the spirits, digimon themselves?" Zoe asked, again confused. There was too much information for her to intake.

The queen nodded. "After the spirits lost their hosts, which were you humans, four years ago. They became dormant. But once you arrived again, they became active."

"Meaning?"

"That the spirits are looking for you Digidestined, as much as you are for them," she finished. "Not physically, but your spirits react when you are nearby. As you react when they are as well."

She gasped. "That explains why I was dizzy back at the garden, when Nacreousmon was trying to trick me into joining forces with her. She had the spirit of wind with her."

"Not with her, but the spirit's DATA itself was imprisoned by her powers," the queen corrected. "The only question that bothers me, is why she would give it to you willingly," she hummed. She rested a hand on her chin, brooding.

"I know why," Zoe mused. She saw the queen look at her. "Do you now?" she heard her say. She nodded back. "When I took the spirit for myself, I could hear everything. It was only for a moment. But I could hear whatever was picked up in the wind, including thoughts. That's how I knew what Nacreousmon had planned for me."

"Which leads me to ask," the queen began, "what then, was she planning?"

Zoe smiled. "To use me as one of her allied forces. I suppose having a legendary warrior on their side would benefit them a lot."

This time it was the queen's turn to look confused. "Them?" was all she asked.

"Before capturing me, Nacreousmon accidentally blurted out something about working for someone she titled as, 'His Supremacy'." She stated the last part, while making quotation marks with her fingers.

The queen's eyes grew wide. "His Supremacy?" she repeated.

Zoe shook her head. She could sense fear coming from the queen's voice. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Ignoring the question, the queen shot up from her position and began to type away at the instrument again.

Zoe, astonished by her sudden actions, accidentally fell backwards from her position, landing on the floor head first. She got up quickly afterwards. "Oh, my head," she muttered, as she rubbed her temples. "So what's the big emergency?" she asked, annoyed. She looked up at the monitor, as it changed images.

Several minutes passed, before she answered. "This," the queen declared, while pointing at the screen.

Zoe looked up and saw a pair of ten medallions laid out in the screen. They were the same ones they saw back at the domain room. "What about them?" was all she said.

"These are the crests that host the ten legendary warriors."

"Oh, that's right. I remember taking in that one," Zoe stated nonchalantly, while pointing at the medallion with a heart inside."

The queen quickly looked at her, before turning her attention back to the screen. "Yes. They were once given to a group of children several years before now, when a virus-digimon by the name of Myotismon ravaged the world."

"Virus-digimon?" Zoe asked in puzzlement.

The queen nodded her head. She typed away at the instrument, creating a second page on the screen, which she juxtaposed to the medallions on the left.

Zoe watched, as the images created a table-chart, with several digimon laid out in three rows horizontally and four rows vertically. Each had a title at the top of the column, titled: Virus, Data and Vaccine. "So what are these?" she asked.

"These," the queen began, "are the types or forms of DATA," she stated, while pointing at the vertical column row with the names: Rookie, Champion, Ultimate and Mega. "They are the levels that the Digimon obtain through digivolving."

Zoe looked at it. "You means like when I transform into Kazemon, then into Zephyrmon?" she asked.

She nodded. "There is as well, in-training and baby forms, but those are not as important. However," she saved. "Due to the legendary warriors' strength, coupled with the humans' resourcefulness, their abilities are on par of the next level or so."

"You mean like if Kazemon was a rookie, she'd have the power of a champion-leveled digimon?"

"Yes," the queen replied. "And the types of digimon are at the top," she stated while pointing upwards.

Zoe looked up. She read the titles again, carefully, processing them into her mind. "So that's the one Takuya and the others will become if they don't get their spirits back huh?" she asked, while pointing at the column titled, "Virus".

"Indeed," she replied. "All bad digimon are of the virus type. Cherubimon when he became evil, Lucemon when he became evil. Both were once Vaccine digimon, corrupted by evil DATA."

Zoe gazed intently at the screen. "So if Vaccine is good, and Virus is bad, then what's that one?" she asked, while pointing at the middle-column. "Neutral?" she added.

"In a way. They are more like gray. Much like you warriors."

She eyed her. 'So we're not good?"

"Not per se. You are, in the sense that you can save the world, but as well, should you choose, you can destroy it."

"Can't all digimon do that?"

"Vaccine digimon, unless fallen, do not have the innate ability to. Virus, they are all about destruction. Data-type digimon go either way, depending on their decisions. Which, I suppose in a way, makes them ally with either side once they do make a decision."

Zoe frowned. Her head was beginning to hurt from all that she had learned. She backed up a little, bumping into someone. "Huh?" she blinked. She turned quickly, and found a tan-faced boy staring back at her. Her face lighted up.

"Hey, Zoe," the young man greeted.

"Takuya," she shouted, while embracing him tightly. She could feel his shirt all wet inside. She pulled away, with a questioning expression.

"What?" he asked, while looking at her with a bemused expression.

"Why is your shirt all wet?" she asked, while eyeing his clothes. They seemed ruddy.

He looked down at his clothes. "Oh this," he pointed at them. "Thank this guy," he stated, while directing his attention to the area behind him. A raven-haired boy came from behind him, his face looking towards the ground.

"Koji," she shouted, while embracing him too. She could feel his shirt wet as well. She pulled back as quick as the first time, this time noticing the liquid on herself. Her eyes grew wide in realization. "Oh my gosh, it's blood," she cried. She looked up at them with worry. "How long did you guys' fight?"

They looked at each other, each shrugging, before looking back at her. "Dunno," Takuya was the first to speak. "I just remember punching the crap out of him," he mused while laughing and pointing at Koji.

Koji smirked. "Yeah, right Takuya. You know I beat the hell outta ya'," he countered.

"Oh yeah, you wanna bet?" Takuya howled.

"Yeah," Koji replied. They were face to face again, their mouths fuming.

"Not again!" Zoe screamed, catching both their attention.

"Whoa, Zoe, what's eating you up today?" Takuya joked.

"Yeah, we were just playing," Koji chimed in. The two began to laugh.

She was ready to say something else, but stopped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned to find Lierremon giving her a firm nod.

"Don't," she commanded. "They need to fight. It's the only way to prevent the Virus from overtaking them," she whispered on purpose to keep the boys from hearing.

Zoe eyed them, making sure they were still laughing, before continuing. She turned to face her again; this time with a puzzled expression.

The queen sighed. She walked a little ways out of hearing distance. Zoe followed her. After making sure they were far enough, she continued. "The virus is trying to take a hold on them," she whispered. "So long as they keep their feelings bottled, the virus will spread faster. They need to let out whatever it is that they are feeling, or else the virus will overtake them that much easier," she finished.

"But they are acting strange," she whispered back. She looked over to her friends, noticing their strange behavior. "I mean," she turned back, "Takuya laughing a lot, I get. But Koji…?" she trailed.

"That's their body's way of trying to keep their DATA neutral. Anything positive. Which is why I recommend that you try to keep them at their best, until they find their spirits," she professed.

Zoe was about to say something, but stopped immediately, when she noticed Koji and Takuya walking up to them.

"So what are we talking about here?" Takuya hollered. He had a huge grin on his face. Koji mimicked his expression.

"Nothing. Just talking about what's on the screen over there," Zoe quickly pointed to the large monitor that projected information of sorts.

They looked at it, eyeing it carefully. "What's that?" Koji asked, while pointing at the left side of the screen. He was referring to the crests.

They all walked over, standing beside each other. "This," the queen began, "is a table of crests."

They looked at her in confusion.

"They're what give us the power to transform back into the legendary warriors," Zoe clamored. They gazed at her.

"Seriously? They cried in unison.

She nodded back them. "I took the one with the heart, and that's why I was able to digivolve into Kazemon," she mused, while smiling cheerfully.

"Jeez rub it in, Zo," Takuya uttered.

She could sense the resentment in his voice. Ready with a comeback, she stopped herself short, remembering Lierremon's words. She closed her eyes quickly before reopening then. Then let out a soft sigh. "Don't worry," she told them. "I'm sure you'll find yours soon."

They perked up at that. "You think so?" they asked in unison.

"I don't think so. I know so," she stated with confidence. She had to do whatever it took to keep them positive.

They smiled at her, before turning back to the screen. There was a moment of silence. "So which one's mine?" Takuya asked suddenly. They eyed him, before turning back to face the panel.

They all, including the queen, shrugged in uncertainty. "I suppose we'll only know, once the crest starts reacting to their owner," the queen professed.

"Reacting?" Takuya questioned. Zoe let out a sigh, to which he ignored.

"We have to explain this all over again," Zoe huffed, while eyeing Lierremon.

"It seems we must," she agreed.

After much explanation, and deliberation, with several interruptions, Lierremon, along with Zoe, explained as much as they could to Koji and Takuya; creating a whirl of bewildered looks, angry expressions, grins and a few "hell, yeahs," to which they didn't understand. They made sure to leave out the parts about them eventually becoming a type of virus._** (Yeah, I did this cause I didn't feel like recreating the above giant text, or even making it concise. In other words, I didn't want to bother at all.)**_

After finishing up, they let out several breaths of air. Their tongue's tired of lapping in and out.

Both Takuya and Koji looked to the ground, their attention averted from them.

"What's wrong?" Zoe asked worriedly. She feared they were entering another negative phase.

They nodded. "Nothing," Koji spoke. "It's just that… well when you guys mentioned the whole part about the crests causing us to react a certain way… well… I think I probably had one back in that domain room, or whatever you call it."

The two women looked at them astonished. "Was it much like the way Zoe described?" Lierremon questioned. She saw him nod. "Well, assuming the rumbling was coming from a digimon, I suppose I have no other choice, but to believe it was one of the titans that created the havoc in the kingdom."

The three looked at her in bewilderment. "The kingdom," they cried in unison.

"We have to go back," Takuya declared.

"Yeah," Zoe readily agreed. "What if they need us?"

Lierremon nodded. "No. It's much too dangerous. The only real useful one would be you Zoe, but as for Takuya and Koji… we can't put them at risk."

They looked at her, feeling slightly hurt. They knew it was no ones fault, but they hated feeling powerless. "Well, what can we do?" Koji questioned.

Zoe could hear the sadness in his voice. _How much is the virus affecting them?_ She wondered.

The queen shook her head. "Lotosmon and Rosemon are guarding the castle, but as for you Digidestined. You must go find your spirits. Without them, you will not be able to even help yourselves."

They looked at her. "What about you?" Zoe asked. Even for the small moment they shared, it helped her grow slightly fond of the queen.

She looked up towards the ceiling. "I have no other choice, but to return to the kingdom. It's where I am needed the most."

Takuya eyed her. "But Lotosmon told me that you don't have the energy to protect yourself at the moment."

The other two looked at her in shock.

She eyed them, giving them a soft smile. "It matters not what happens to me, as long as I ensure that my kingdom is safe."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Koji countered.

She shook her head again. She eyed them carefully, before stopping at Zoe. "You must all not allow yourselves to believe that everything is dark or sinister." She continued to eye Zoe. "For then the darkness will overtake you," she forewarned.

They boys looked at her in puzzlement. "What do you mean?" they asked.

Zoe, who understood, nodded her head in affirmation. The queen nodded back, before facing the group as a whole again.

"Use the instrument as you please," she stated while pointing towards the large monitor. "Use it to help find your friends, and the remaining spirits."

"Won't you help us?" Koji asked.

She nodded. "I cannot. I believe I have overstayed my welcome. It didn't occur to me in the slightest that my kingdom would need me. I must go with haste," she began to speak in formalities again.

They looked at her. Zoe walked up to her, gazing at her one more time. "Be careful," was all she said.

The queen nodded her head, before turning to leave. "Let not the darkness overtake you," she stated, her back to them. "For once it does, it will be _almost_ irreversible." With those final words, she sped off. They watched her as she faded off into the distance, before turning towards the screen again. They walked up to it.

"So what now?" Takuya asked, while placing his arms behind his head.

"I guess we'll just have to trust what Lierremon told us?" Zoe stated. She was facing the screen again, trying to memorize the symbols engraved within the crests.

"And what's that?" Koji retorted. He seemed to be in a slight fowl mood again.

She stared at him, noting the bitterness in his voice. "Well," she shied, "the part about not letting the darkness consume us. I think she meant to try and stay positive. To not give up."

They eyed her, before facing the screen again. "I guess…," he sighed.

She could see the distress in their faces. _It must feel lonely to not be complete_, she thought.

"So, how do we even using this thing anyways," Takuya asked, while playing with the instrument before him. He was pressing on a few of the instruments holographic keys, hoping it would do something. It didn't.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Here, let me," she implored, while pushing Takuya aside. She began to type away at the instrument. The images on the screen began to change, revealing bits and pieces of random information.

"That's cool," Koji praised. "Where'd you learn how to do this, Zoe?" he asked, while facing the screen.

She smiled. "While you guys were busy fighting, I watched Lierremon use this. It's not so hard actually," she mused, while typing away. She seemed to be searching for something.

"Well do you know how to locate Tommy and the others?" Takuya asked.

She could sense his edginess. She wondered if it had anything to do with losing Tommy back at the cave. She shook her thoughts. "I think so," she spoke aloud. "Lierremon opened up a map before of the Digital World. I think that may help us locate the others… and the spirits," she finished.

"And how do we do that?" Koji asked. He kept his gaze on the image of the crests. It resuscitated an image that bore through his mind. Although, he couldn't figure it out.

"Like this," Zoe announced, while pounding on a key. The panel began to create an image of the Digital World, a legend to the left, while several markers appeared on the screen.

"Hey, what are those," Takuya asked, while pointing at several different–colored markers. They blinked occasionally.

They looked at the map intently, examining its contents. Several seconds passed, before it came to them. "I think those are tracking arrows or something," Koji declared. He blinked several times afterwards. They nodded in agreement.

"So with this," Zoe began. She typed away at the instrumental-keyboard. "I think I can use it to help us locate the others." Opening an arrow-based controller, she used it to click on a yellow marker, situated on top of the Thunder Region.

They watched as she moved the arrow around, zooming in on the region above them. Moving it to the right, after scrolling in, the marker blinked again, indicating its location. "There," Zoe cried. She stopped when the marker finally produced an image of the location it was pinpointing.

They could see a panoramic view of the area, leaving them with a bold new infusion. The area was severed with streaks of lightning and electricity swarming in thuds and rumbles. The area was like a giant electric net.

"Jeez, what the heck is that place," Takuya remarked, while the three stared at an empty plain.

They shrugged. "I don't know, but the marker wanted us to find something here," Koji exclaimed.

"Here, let me see," Takuya cried, while motioning for Zoe to step aside. She quickly moved, allowing him to take control. He placed his hands on the instrument, which then caused the screen to shut off. The panel turned black, and the keyboard before them lost power.

"Ah man, Takuya. What'd you do/" Koji bemused bitterly. He stared at his friend angrily.

Takuya turned to face him, before looking back at the screen. "I didn't do anything," he shot back. "The stupid thing shut off on its own." He slapped the air with his hand, while pointing towards the screen.

Zoe, who wanted to avoid another fight, quickly pushed Takuya aside, regaining control of the mechanism. It powered back on, making a "vloosh" sound.

"What the—?" the boys cried in unison. "How'd you do that?" Takuya asked bitterly.

She shrugged. She figured it had something to with the concept of DATA and its response to it. Although, she didn't want them to know. "I think," she began, "it's maybe because I have my spirit," she suggested.

They looked at her. "What do you mean?" Koji questioned her, with a bewildered look.

"Well, it responded to Lierremon," she quickly stated. "And she's a digimon. Now that I have my spirit, I think it may respond to me too," she finished.

They shrugged. "Well… if you say so," Takuya hesitated. He wasn't exactly happy that again, he was useless. He figured Koji felt the same way, because he could see him looking at the ground.

Zoe, noticing their expressions, quickly began typing at the keyboard. She zoomed out of the screen, and again typed. After several minutes of clicking, typing and scrolling, she was finally able to get where she wanted. "There!" she cried. They looked up in astonishment.

"What?" Takuya asked.

She smiled at them. "The answer to our problems." She turned back to the screen and pointed to it, while motioning for them to follow. "You see that," she asked them, while holding a finger upwards to a white arrow. They nodded. "I think that may be one of the spirits," she mused. They looked at her with bewildered faces.

"You serious," Takuya clamored.

"How do you know?" Koji shouted over him.

She looked at them. "I don't," she confessed. She kept her gaze on them. "But I did search for things related to only spirits, and it gave me these results," she added, while pointing to the monitor.

They eyed her, before leaning back and sighing. "Well, I guess it's better than nothing," Takuya coaxed with contempt. He pinched the bridge of his nose, before turning to look at them. He could see her smiling at him, and so he returned the favor. They remained that way until Koji interrupted them.

"I think that place me somewhere close," Koji announced. They stopped to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Zoe asked.

"I mean that wherever we are, that place must be close by," he repeated, while holding his finger out towards the monitor.

"And what makes you sat that, buddy," Takuya asked.

He sighed. "Because that must be my spirit," he declared. They looked at him in shock. Their expressions revealed what they were thinking. He rolled his eyes. "I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like that one is mines," he managed.

They eyed him carefully. "Call me crazy, but I think he may be right on this one," Zoe stated, interrupting the small moment of silence. "Lierremon mentioned something about us somehow figuring where out spirits may be, right?" she questioned. They nodded to her in agreement. "So, who's to say this isn't one of those moments?" She finished.

They looked at her. "When you're right, you're right, Zo," Takuya declared. "Although," he started, while placing a hand to his chin, "what I don't get is why you would think that we are close to that place," he stated, while looking at Koji and pointing back to the panel.

He nodded. "I don't _think _I know. I know. Remember, I told you guys that I felt dizzy back in the queen's secret chamber?" They nodded. "And look where the tracker is, right next to the Forest Kingdom," he ended.

Zoe was the first to respond. "If that's what you truly believe, then we have no other choice but to go there," she mused. Takuya nodded his head in agreement.

"We'll go wherever you say, buddy," Takuya chimed, while placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

Koji wondered whether he said that out of resentment or not. He quickly shrugged the thought away, and smiled. "Thanks," he expressed to them. After several exchanges between the two, they all looked back to the screen plastered against the wall.

"So, do we look for the other spirits while we're here?" Zoe asked, already ready to type away again.

They both nodded. "I don't think so," Takuya stated. "For all we know, it probably isn't the spirits at all."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, admit it. You guys just don't want to get directions," she smirked. She continued to type away at the keyboard. "What is it with men and getting directions," she muttered.

Ignoring her, they both began to walk back to the corridor behind them.

"Um, where do you guys think you're going?" she angrily questioned. She had turned, after hearing their footsteps from a distance.

They both turned back. "Like we said," Koji began.

"We're not waiting," Takuya finished for him.

She was ready to say something again, but quickly remembered Lierremon's advice. She closed her eyes, thinking about what Koji said. "_I don't think I know. I know."_ The words echoed in her mind. She began to wonder whether the emptiness inside of them, guided them somehow to their spirits; whether it gave them the urge to seek it rationally or irrationally— like primal beasts. She had already forgotten what it was like to not have her own. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, before running over to them. "Okay," she breathed, while standing beside them. "We'll go see if it's Koji's spirit," she bemused. She saw them smile.

"Atta' girl," Takuya clamored.

_That's a new one_, she thought. She continued to smile at the, before they finally turned to leave. "So are we going back to the kingdom?" she asked them, as they walked back into the tunnel.

Koji nodded. "No," he assured. "Takuya and I saw another route on our way over here. We'll take that one," he mused.

She nodded. It was harder for her to keep them happy, than she thought. And as she knew them, one way to keep them happy, was to let them have any decision, go their way. Though, she wondered how long she could keep it up.

"Great, so it's settled then," Takuya smiled. "Let's get going."

They trudged on, following their former leader, closely behind, as they made their way back into the tunnel. The rocks began to glow once more, as the air lifted in breeze, giving the cave a sense of life. A sense that seemed all too familiar to a creature who lurked about, in the halls of the deep cavern. It eyes, beady and red, shining in the dense darkness, while its body camouflaged in the shadows. It smiled a most terrible smile, slowly creeping through, as it waited for the perfect moment to pounce.

* * *

**Ugh... I know I promised that I would have a fighting and romance scene in this chapter, and even more I have said this too much now. As I was writing, I sense that I would need more space between the fight that was about to take place, then romance, and then some other stuff. I needed to clear some things, before they dragged on fro too long. Although, I did purposely create an ending that would ensure I write that long fight scene I had planned for this chapter. Sorry, and again, I apologize for it. I hope you did enjoy (or may, if you're one of those who reads footnotes first, before the story) this chapter. Aw always, PM, review, favorite and/or follow. I love all the support I receive!**


	11. Shining Forth

**This one came out pretty fast. I was actually planning on taking my time with this one, but it just seemed to write itself (I know a lot of people say that, but there's a reason. It feels like it). Anyways, I have written this with several ideas in mind, and if you don't like the way it played out, well then... hope to hear different takes on it, possibly. Any who, I introduce the 10th chapter to this story. Enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. If I did... I would change all of Xros Wars (yes I promised myself I would never watch that season, but I just had to see Tai, Takato, Takuya and Davis come out... which was a major bummer, IMO! Nothing like I imagined a crossover to be, between the seasons). Enough of my ranting. Again, enjoy!**

* * *

"How much longer?" Takuya cried. The cave seemed to extend farther than they last remembered. They had been walking for over twenty minutes in the darkness, the glowing rocks, being their only source of light.

"Takuya, whining isn't going to get us there any faster," Koji shot. He was already irritated from having walked so long himself. He couldn't figure out why he always seemed so annoyed recently.

Zoe, who had been struggling to keep them happy, now walked behind them, waiting for any one of them to start something. She promised herself she would transform into Kazemon, at the first sight of another fight. "You guys," she began. They stopped to look at her.

"Yeah?" they asked in unison.

"I think we may have gone too far. I don't remember walking this much when Lierremon and I went into the _Oculus Chamber_."

They looked at her. "Now that you mention it," Takuya began, "you may be right." He placed a finger to his chin. "Even after we fought, the walk to the white room seemed much shorter."

"Are you guys sure?" Koji chimed. He walked near the wall to lean on it for support. He began to feel tired a few minutes back. "I mean," he continued, "I didn't see no other route when we were walking," he finished.

They nodded. "It does seem strange," Zoe concluded. "Like, the walk between the Oculus room and the queen's secret chamber wasn't that long either."

They sighed. "So what then?" Takuya asked. He saw them shrug. He walked over to where Koji was leaning, and sat by him. He too, was tired as well; though he couldn't explain why.

Zoe, watched as they rested_. How am I going to do this? _She began to wonder. _They are like children who need constant supervision._

"What's wrong, Zo?" Takuya asked her worriedly. He was gazing at her, noticing the long expression on her face.

She looked at him and smiled. "Nothing," she lied. She walked over to where they rested, and lied down between them. "I guess I'm just tired," she pretended to yawn.

He smiled back at her. "I know what you mean," he empathized. "Sometimes my legs feel like they are about to give way or something. I don't know what the heck's wrong with me. I mean… I'm fit, no?"

She looked at him. She couldn't tell him. She promised she wouldn't to Lierremon. So, she smiled at him instead, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Takuya," she mumbled. "Things will get better, I just know it." She let out a long yawn, while closing her eyes.

He shook her. "Hey, don't fall asleep yet, we have to get going soon," he implored. He continued to shake her, until she finally shot up.

"Okay, okay," she expressed in an annoyed tone. She looked at him, slightly fuming. "I'm just need some rest. We've been all over the place today," she remarked.

He eyed her. "Don't worry about it. Things will get better, I just know it," he repeated her phrase with a huge grin on his face.

She smirked at him. "Very funny Takuya," she huffed. She could see him still grinning, and so returned the gesture. _Whatever it takes to make you smile,_ she thought.

"Hey, you two lovebirds done?" Koji joked, interrupting their moment.

Slightly startled by his words, they turned away from each other, each blushing. "So," Takuya began, while clearing his throat. "What exactly do we do now?" he asked them. He could see them stare at him back, with confused expressions. "What?" he finally asked.

"Takuya," Koji started," I don't know whether you've noticed or not, but this is sort of your thing," he finished. He could see him stare at him back.

"Yeah," Zoe chimed. "Just like the good ol' days," she mused, with a smile on her face. She was glad to know that Koji was willing to submit to Takuya's leadership.

Takuya looked at them bewildered. "Um…," he began. "I don't think I am the only one with a head here," he remarked.

She laughed. "Not that," she cried. "He means that you are our leader… right Koji?" she asked, while facing the black-haired young man. She saw him nod. "See," she declared, while facing Takuya.

Takuya blushed. He then began to say something, but thought on it. He did that several times before, Koji grew impatient.

"Just say it Takuya," he sniped. He was already growing tired of sitting around doing nothing. Yet that's all he wanted to do. He couldn't understand why his own feelings were being so capricious.

"I don't think I want the role of leadership," he admitted. They looked at him, shocked by his words.

"What do you mean?" Zoe asked.

"I mean, I don't want to be the leader again. I just don't feel like I'm up to it this time,' he declared.

They eyed him carefully. "Are you sure?" Zoe was the first to speak. She continued to look at him, watching as he nodded, before standing.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'm kind of tired of having to be the one everyone relies on, and then when it backfires, I get blamed for it," he confessed.

She gazed at him, feeling slightly hurt. She knew what he meant by it, but chose to ignore it. "But Takuya—,"

"No offense Zoe," he interrupted her. "But I don't really want anyone telling me otherwise," he snared.

She could hear resentment and bitterness in his voice, but before she could say anything, Koji jumped in.

"Yeah well, maybe you don't have a choice," Koji demanded.

Takuya looked at him. "And what if I don't want to?" he retorted.

He chuckled. "That wasn't a request," he shot back.

Zoe, sensing the hostility, immediately stood, purposely standing between them, so as to block their view. "You guys," she cried.

"Don't," Takuya growled.

She could hear anger in his voice now. She began to feel powerless again. She shook her head. _Not this time_, she thought, while narrowing her eyes. She then did something that shocked all of them. She slapped him in the face, leaving behind a great red mark. The noise echoed through the cave. She could see him holding his hand to his cheek. She felt bad, but she knew she had to do it.

He could feel the pain of the slap, but even more, he could feel the anger behind it. He looked at Zoe, stunned. "Zo—,"

"Stop it, Takuya." She cried. She then turned to look towards Koji, who was equally stunned. "The both of you," she added. "I'm tired of playing these stupid childish games."

They continued to look at her. "Zoe," Takuya tried again. "I," he stammered.

"If you guys want to fight, go ahead. But we can't fight about every little thing, every freaking minute," she shouted. She turned around quickly, already walking off towards the direction they were heading.

Takuya, wanting to reconcile with her quickly, trailed after her, leaving behind a shocked Koji.

He stared confused, as they faded off into the distance. He then looked at his palm, wondering what just happened. _What's gotten into me?_ He wondered. He continued to look at his hand, allowing his mind to drift. He then closed his eyes, still feeling dazed. _Why does everything feel so different now?_ He thought. "Why?" he spoke aloud.

"Oh, Koji. You poor thing," a voice mused.

Opening his eyes, he stood up quickly, startled by the voice. He looked around trying to find someone or something that called his name. "Who's there?" he shouted out.

The voice chuckled. "Such fear is so unbecoming of you," the voice mocked. "It'll soon turn you into nothing sweetheart. That is, if you allow it to," she added.

He continued to look around, trying to find a shape. He couldn't see past a few inches suddenly, as the rocks in the cave dimmed. His eyed grew wide. They weren't all dimming, only a few in a subsequent manner, as the lights looked to be approaching him. _Not the lights,_ he thought. _Something's blocking them. _He began to back up quickly, in fear.

The voice laughed silently, barely audible. "Oh, Koji," the voice remarked. "Such fear, like a small child. It gets my blood boiling with… what's the word?" the voice paused.

Koji could feel the air around him begin to shorten. He felt small and feeble. "Who- who are you?" he managed to croak. The darkness around him began to increase. The lights from the rocks dimmed even more. He looked at the empty darkness, feeling its cold emptiness. Then he saw it; a pair of red eyes, looking back at him.

"Oh, such fear. I could taste it already," the voice hummed.

He could see a shape begin to form around the eyes, revealing a pair of legs, and arms. He closed his eyes in fear, but opened them as quick, only to find a woman standing before him. She looked extremely pale, yet alluring. Her eyes were red, and she was clothed with a silky black dress, moderately transparent. Though, what caught his attention, were the wings on her head. They resembled bat wings.

She approached him, causing him to stumble backwards, landing on his butt. She giggled. "Oh, men can be so… childish at times," she mused.

He saw her, towering over him, noticing the amount of detail she had in resemblance to a human. "Who are you?" he managed to ask again. He was still in fear, his nerves tensed.

"My, my, so many questions," she hummed. "Although, I suppose I do owe you an answer." She sauntered about, pacing her walk as she circled him.

He could feel her presence, as she moved around him. His head began to feel dizzy again, and his body suddenly felt out of energy. He couldn't remember when it happened, but the next thing he knew; he was staring back at a pair of red eyes.

"The name's Lamiamon*," she announced. She had swiftly locked eyes with him, letting out a small smile. She quickly backed up, allowing him to stand on his own two feet.

After standing, he made a motion to run, but his legs felt frozen in place. He was too scared to move. "Tsk, tsk, tsk," she huffed. She walked up to him. He could feel her hands claw up his back, stopping at his neck.

"How I would love a bite," she hissed. She walked away, allowing him to move again, though he remained idle. "It's only a matter of time before you become my new pet," she hissed.

He turned quickly at her words. Though fear consumed him, he didn't want to allow her to take control of him. "Your pet?" he questioned. His voice was shaky.

She turned to stop and look at him. "Of course," she stated nonchalantly. "One bite to your neck and you'll be all mine," she mused.

He looked at her, disgusted by her threat. "And what if I don't comply?" he bemused.

She smiled at him. "Oh, you won't refuse," she confidently countered. "I'm sure you'll want this as payment, now won't you?" she coerced. She extended her arm, revealing a tiny medallion on the palm of her hand.

He immediately recognized it. It was one of the crests he had seen on the display monitor back in the _Oculus Chamber_. The crest was engraved with a yin-yang sign, along with two horns or spikes sticking out from both ends. He looked up at her. "Why would you give me this?" he asked suspiciously.

She eyed him. "Don't be so wary of me. I mean you no harm," she pressed.

He knew better than to believe her. Despite his faint state, he wanted to refute her advances. Although, the more he looked at the crest, the more inviting it seemed to want to take it. He reached out, trying to grab it, but was stopped by closed hands.

"Uh, uh, uh," she reiterated. "First you must promise that you'll join sides with me."

He looked at her, and nodded. "No way," he bellowed.

She smiled at him. "I assure you, the power I have to offer is most enticing,"

He nodded again. "Yeah, and then what. You'll use me to do your dirty work," he regressed.

She frowned. Growing impatient with him, she took the opportunity to lung at him, grabbing him by the shirt collar. "If I can't have you willingly," she started, "then I'll have to just make you come," she finished.

He could feel her mouth, as it roamed around his neck. He was motionless. Her touch kept him frozen, though he did not know why. "Ah, here we are," he heard her say; before he felt cold teeth braze the outside of his skin. He closed his eyes in despair, hoping that the nightmare would be over. _No_, he thought.

"Time to make you mine," she mused.

He could feel the first points of her teeth beginning to sink in, but then felt nothing afterwards.

"I don't think so," a voice uttered in the darkness. He turned to look at whose voiced shouted, before noticing Lamiamon leaning, her back against the wall. He didn't realize that she had let go of him. He smiled when he noticed Kazemon standing close to them.

"Oh," Lamiamon groaned. "Just when I was about to make him mine. I guess I'll have to destroy you first," she resounded. She lunged at the other girl with fury.

"We'll see about that," Kazemon replied with courage. She lunged towards the woman as well, each taking on a new strength, as pounded on each other.

Koji saw them twist and turn, each taking a chance to throw a fist whenever they could. He didn't notice when Takuya had walked up to him. He was still feeling dazed.

"You okay, buddy?" Takuya asked his friend. He saw him nod. He smiled at him.

"We need to help her," Koji implored.

Takuya looked to where the two digimon were fighting, before looking back at his friend. "I would like to buddy, but there's nothing we can do. We'll probably just get in the way," he finished.

Koji nodded his head. "You can't, but I probably can," he countered. He could see Takuya giving him a questioning expression. "Lamiamon," he began.

Takuya stared at the other digimon.

"She has one of the crests," Koji finished.

Takuya's eyes grew wide. He looked at him. "You serious?" he implored. He saw him nod. "And you know it's yours because—,"

"I could feel the spirits presence," he finished for him.

"Hurricane Wave!" Kazemon shouted over Lamiamon, who had been pinned to one of the walls. A gush of strong wind was released from her fingers, trapping the other digimon in a vortex of flurry.

Lamiamon groaned as the air engulfed her. It lasted only a few moments, and she seized the opportunity to lunge towards her again. "Black Wings!" she shouted over the air. She turned ninety degrees, releasing a large amount of bats. They flew over Kazemon, causing her to lose flight and fall.

"Ow, oh, stop it," she cried, as the bats kept pecking at her. "That's it, she cried. "Tempest Twist!" she screamed, kicking the bats with her two legs, while they created gushes of strong wind.

The bats, losing flight, vanished into tiny bits of data. "Oh," Lamiamon hissed, "you'll pay for that. Scarlet River!" she cried. She extended her hands, while opening them and creating a portal.

Kazemon watched, as a great wave of red water came from the small opening, gushing out, and heading straight for her. She tried to fly, but was too late, as the water submerged her deep under. She could feel the amount of pressure enter her body. "What is this?" she screamed.

"That is last night's meal," she replied, while smiling. She had lowered herself back onto the ground, readying her next attack.

'That's disgusting," Kazemon cried back. She tried standing up, after being hit by a wave of blood, but couldn't find the strength. She could feel herself losing form. _She's much stronger than she looks, _she thought.

"Black Wings!" the woman cried again, turning once more to release a set of bats again.

"No," Kazemon cried. She lunged towards the woman, avoiding the bats as thye flew overhead. "Roseo Temporale!" she shouted, after reaching Lamiamon. She began to extend her legs, kicking her swiftly, and causing her to lose balance.

Lamiamon was knocked over to the ground, but before she could stand up again, she felt a touch to her hand.

"I got it," Takuya shouted aloud, while raising his hand.

She noticed him holding something in his hand. He eyes grew wide. "Give me that you foolish boy," she snarled. She attempted to lunge at him, but was knocked back by another gush of wind.

"Did you forget about me?" Kazemon quipped. She heard her growl in return. "Hm. Hurricane Wave!" she shouted once more, releasing another force of wind, striking the woman. She heard her scream again.

Takuya, who had retrieved what he silently went to get a few minutes back, ran over back to Koji who now lay on his back, halfway unconscious. "Here you go, buddy," he breathed to his friend. He leaned down, and opened his hand, laying the crest on his palm.

Koji, who felt numb only a few moments back, now rose as a flood of energy coursed through his body. He began to hold it tightly in his hand. "Hold is against your heart," he heard Zoe scream to him. He looked up, and noticed the pink fairy struggling with Lamiamon. Lamiamon was winning.

Takuya, who had backed a little ways, stood watching idle, waiting for his friend to react.

"Now you're done for," Lamiamon shouted. She had managed to pin Kazemon against the floor, holding her down with her legs. "Shadow Claw!" she screamed. She was ready to swipe at her chest, but stopped when a strong light emitted from her left side. She covered her eyes, quickly, feeling a strong wave of energy. "What's happening?" she screamed.

Koji, who had done as Zoe told him, held the crest tightly to his chest. He began to scream, as the crest imbued itself within his body. It sank deep inside, causing him to shine and emit a strong light. He could feel it all. He could see everything— the entire cave. It was only for a moment, but that's all it took. He now knew where they were at, and which way to go.

Takuya backed up some more, holding his arms out to shield his eyes. Kazemon and Lamiamon copied him, as they all sensed a new power radiating from Koji.

"What happening?" Takuya shouted over the strong light.

Kazemon, who had managed to push aside Lamiamon, now stood next to him. "He's absorbed the warrior of light. They're one now," she shouted to him.

Koji stopped screaming once the transfusion of data was done. He looked at his hands, their glow beginning to fade. Even so, he still felt a new power. It was familiar, yet different; powerful and somehow, small. He felt the energy course through his body, recognizing what he was going through. He quickly stood up, holding out his hand. They shined again, this time with a strong light that emitted upwards. He clasped them together. "Execute now! Spirit Evolution!" he screamed.

Takuya and Kazemon closed their eyes, and held their hands over their faces, as the light shined through the entire tunnel. They held it for a few seconds until it died down. They looked at Koji again, only to end up finding a silver-armored digimon who resembled a wolf, in his place.

"So it seems a new Digidestined has achieved the power to digivolve once more," the woman clothed with black wings purred. She seemed to have a smile on her face.

They all turned to look at her, noticing the blood coming out from her fingertips.

"The master will surely not be pleased to know I have failed him…," she vexed. She looked at them once more, before turning to leave.

"And where do you think you're going?" Lobomon asked the alluring woman.

Upon hearing his words, she stopped and turned back to look at him. "My job is finished here sweetie. But if you still want to play, I suppose I can leave a playmate for you," she quipped. She began to roll her fingers, snapping several times. For each snap, a voice was heard from a distance.

They watched as she spit out a red fluid from her mouth, which then began to move around, before finally opening a portal from behind. She walked towards it, her body disappearing into it.

"I don't think so," Koji screamed. He lunged towards the portal, and almost made it, but was thrown aside, midair, from a blast. He groaned as he stood up, while turning his attention to where the blast had come from.

Lamiamon disappeared inside the portal, which then faded soon afterwards.

"Koji," Takuya screamed.

Koji looked to his friend, noticing that he was pointing at something behind him. He could hear it. Heavy breathing as it sounded, sending chills down his spine. He quickly stood up, and looked at what Takuya was pointing at. He saw a figure resembling a vampire standing in the shadows.

Kazemon, who had been by Takuya, quickly made her way to him, standing by his side, as they faced their new opponent. She took a battle stance.

"Ready?" Lobomon asked her. He saw her nod, from the side of his eye. He smiled. "Okay, here we go," he shouted. They both lunged towards the creature in front of them, only to find it disappear into dark mist. "What the?" he bellowed.

"Crimson Lightning!" a voice uttered in the darkness. Kazemon quickly sidestepped as a flash of red whipped itself to them. Lobomon, on the other hand, took a blow to the stomach, but quickly regained his posture. They looked to the direction of the voice, and found a man with a black cape. He seemed to be wearing a black mask.

"Who the heck are you?" Lobomon asked. He saw the figure smile, before moving towards him. He stepped back, trying to figure out the rest of his shape.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" another voice called in the darkness.

Kazemon quickly turned, upon hearing the voice behind her. She found a woman standing by her, her skin pale and her outfit attired black, and resembling much a vampire. She quickly moved out of the way.

"Ah, timid creature, aren't you?" she joked. She let out a smile, before pacing herself. "It seems the Mistress wants us to deal with them, Myotismon," she quipped.

He smiled at her. "It seems so LadyDevimon." He stared back at the wolf-man who seemed ready to battle. "I see, so we are preparing ourselves?" he joked.

"Hm. Like I need to," Lobomon countered. He saw the bat-man **(PUN INTENDED… sort of) **smile. He found the guy a creep. Shaking his head, he quickly lunged towards him. "Lobo Kendo!" he shouted. He released to blade-like light sabers, holding it against Myotismon.

He smiled. Is that all you have," Myotismon mocked. He had blocked the attack, and reversed it, sending Lobomon flying into the air.

Regaining his balance, Lobomon made another attempt to lunge at him, this time blinding his first. "Howling Laser!" he shouted. Quickly using the few seconds he had, he charged towards Myotismon. "Lobo Kendo!" he shouted once more, this time slashing at his foe.

Myotismon backed up, holding his chest as he did. He growled. "So you want to play hard. Very well. Grisly Wings!" he shouted. A swarm of bats sped off from the darkness he created, and flew towards Lobomon.

Distracted from the bats, Lobomon didn't have time to counter, what came to be the next attack. "Crimson Lightning!" was all he heard, before feeling a slash against his body. He could feel something warm began to seep from under his armor. Holding his hand to his stomach, he recognized what it was. He was bleeding. He tried to stand, but quickly fell.

"Ah, Koji, hold on," Kazemon screamed. She took the chance, from having knocked back LadyDevimon, to assist her friend.

"I don't think so," LadyDevimon protested. "Evil Wing!" she screamed. Another swarm of bats appeared from the dark mist around her, releasing a folly of dark beasts. They plunged towards Kazemon, pinning her down against the ground.

"Ah, not again," Kazemon bellowed. "Tempest Twist!" she cried. She managed to kick the bats away, but was knocked back by another attack.

"Darkness Wave!" LadyDevimon shouted, seizing the moment. She sent Kazemon flying towards Lobomon, causing her to crash into him.

Both Lobomon and Kazemon struggled to get up, but quickly fell to their knees.

"Time for one final attack, shall we not Myotismon?" LadyDevimon asked her partner. She stood across from him.

He smiled. "Perhaps you're right, LadyDvimon." He began. "Grisly Wing!" he roared.

"Evil Wing!" she cried. The enormous amount of bats swarmed from both directions, plunging towards Lobomon and Kazemon. They screamed as the bats entangled them in a flurry of bites, scratches and poison.

Soon the bats ceased, leaving behind two half-conscious humans in their departure. Koji and Zoe had lost their form after the attack, unable to hold it for much longer. They could hear the footsteps coming from both ends, as the two monsters approached them.

"And this is how two of the destined humans shall' meet their fate!" Myotismon quipped.

LadyDevimon let out a horrendous laugh. "Oh the pity. I almost feel remorse for them… almost," she finished. She stopped in front of them. "Time to meet your end, young humans." She began to enchant again. "Darkness Wa—,"

"Celestial Arrow!" a shout came from afar. A blast of light hurled towards her, sending her flying.

Shocked from the sound, Koji and Zoe quickly looked up.

"Who's there?" Myotismon questioned to the darkness. He was standing ready. He recognized the attack all to well.

"Don't you remember me?" The voice responded.

He growled. "As if I'd take my time to remember the likes of you," he retorted. "Crimson Lightning!" he shouted towards the darkness, sending a volley of lightning. It flashed, but other than that, it seemed useless.

"Enough games, LadyDevimon ordered. "Come out now, or are you afraid to meet your fate?" she provoked. Another blast came her way.

"Hand of Fate!" another voice screamed, sending her flying backwards again.

Koji and Zoe, seizing the opportunity, quickly ran by Takuya's side. They watched as LadyDevimon and Myotismon searched and struggled to find the pair of voices.

"Don't be so afraid," a female voice uttered in the darkness. The others could hear the voice as it stepped closer.

"Yeah. You don't have to pick on a couple of defenseless humans just because you can't beat us," a male voice mocked.

Takuya and the group, watched as four silhouettes emerged from the darkness, the light finally revealing their form. The first was a ruddy young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. The second was a young woman with light brown hair, and matching eyes. Before them stood two angel digimon. He recognized the male one, but the female one, was new to him.

"Angemon, the boy cried. "Angewoman," the girl cried. "Get them," they ordered in unison. The two angel digimon lunged towards the dark digimon, each fighting the other.

The two humans, walked over to Takuya and his friends, offering them a hand. "Need some help?" the blonde asked him. Takuya blinked several times. He then smiled. "Sure," he cried. He grabbed onto the boys hand, getting up quickly. He watched as Zoe and Koji got up as well, before looking back the blonde boy. "Um… so who are you guys?" he asked. He could hear the fight that was enraging from behind, though he ignored it.

"My names T.K.," he replied. "And this here," he began, while pointing at the girl beside him, "is Kari."

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**Yes, a cliffhanger. One of the most dreadful tools for readers, and delightful techniques for writers. As you have read, I have introduced Kari and T.K. into the plotline. Something I did not expect to do so myself really early on. Early on... I've pretty much almost written a darn novel. I think it was time to introduce at least some of the characters. Although, how it'll all play out... that's something for me to know, and for you to find out (actually the truth is, I haven't had a full concrete idea on it. I have some thoughts about how I want it to go, but nothing set-in-stone). Hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite its shortness. Hope to make the next one _much_ longer. Thanks everyone for reading. Don't forget to review, PM, follow and /or favorite. Need this for a word or two.**


	12. Early Paroxysm

**Here is the 11th chapter to this, now increasing, story. I hope this chapter may be well enough fro anyone reading. I did make some plot points less than unappealing, I admit. Also, I had a hard time connecting a few points, since I rushed in a few things, but I'll link them together soon. Hopefully. Anyways, I write here another long chapter into this work. I hope many can appreciate it. Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. If I did (I'm going to keep doing these. I have so many things I would change), I would make Tai and Mimi, Sora and Matt and Kari and TK end up together (though she would cheat on him and have an affair with Davis...kekeke). Also, a note: I have stopped doing recaps, due to one simple, tiny, small, insignificant, puny, virtually nothing fact: I am too lazy to do it. Also, I stopped making chapter breaks. Will come back with those soon though. Any who, enjoy!**

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**MAJOR NOTE: Okay, so I was just re-reading over this chapter, trying to remember where I left off, and I noticed some many grammar mistakes. Albeit, they are small, it still ruins some parts of the story. I will remedy this situation as soon as I can (and by can, I mean, when I'm not being lazy). Hope anyone understand the story being told, despite the errors. I hate proofreading but everyone's got to do it. **

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He looked at them. He wondered whether they were humans or digimon, who resembled humans, much like Lierremon and Lamiamon. He noted the hand extended for him, and shook it, smiling at the blonde boy while he did. The blonde smiled back.

"So, it seems you guys were almost close there? Weren't ya?" he asked him.

Takuya looked where the two angel digimon were fighting with Myotismon and LadyDevimon, before looking back at him. "Yeah," he admitted. Zoe took the chance to chime in.

"So, who are you guys?" she asked them. She stood beside Takuya, eyeing them carefully.

"Like he said," the brown-haired girl finally spoke up. "His name is T.K.," she stated, while pointing at him, "and mines Kari," she finished.

"Well nice to meet you T.K. and Kari," Koji joined in. They looked at him, before smiling.

"And nice to meet you… um…," she trailed.

"The name's Koji, Koji Minamoto. And these here," he stated while pointing towards his friends, "are my friends Takuya Kanbara and Zoe Orimoto."

The brown-haired girl smiled. "Well, since we're doing formal greetings, then I will start over. My name is Kari Kamiya, and this here is my friend, Takeru Takaishi." She finished, while continuing to point to T.K. **(going to start writing his name like TK… tired of T-dot-K-dot).**

She began to shake hands, but stopped short when a blast came from the angel digimons direction. "Huh?" they all questioned in unison.

"Angemon," Angewoman screamed as her friend was thrown towards the wall. Although they were both angel digimon, Angemon was the weaker of the two. "You'll pay for that," she hissed at the two demon digimon. "Heaven's Charm!" she screamed, releasing a large pink light, which bared a resemblance to a cross. The pink light emitted strongly, vaporizing LadyDevimon into tiny bits of data; although, Myotismon managed to survive the attack.

"LadyDevimon," Myotismon screamed at her, as she vanished.

"My turn," Angemon hollered. He quickly flew up, balling his hand into a fist. "Hand of Fate, arh!" he screamed. A white beam of light shot from his fist, hurling towards Mytismon's direction.

The demon digimon prepared himself, ready to meet his doom. He closed his eyes, knowing what was next to come… or should have.

"Dark Wings," a voice shouted overhead. A swarm of bats flew over Myotismon, shielding him from the attack that was to be his demise. Takuya and the gang quickly looked up, noticing a woman flying overhead. They immediately recognized her.

"Ah, it's Lamiamon," Takuya shouted.

TK and Kari looked at him. "Lamiamon?" they questioned.

He nodded. "It's the evil digimon that called Myotismon and LadyDevimon to attack us."

They all stared at the woman, eyeing her carefully. "But she looks just like a human," Kari spoke up.

They were about to say something, when they heard another attack.

"Celestial Arrow!" Angewoman screamed, shooting an arrow if light towards the vampire woman.

She dodged the attack, and flew upwards. "Scarlet River!" Lamiamon screamed. She opened a portal, using the tips of her fingers, which had released a red liquid. The opening released a river of red water, gushing at both Angewoman and Angemon. They screamed in pain, as the red water soaked them entirely, submerging them in intense pressure.

"Oh, burns doesn't it," Lamiamon purred.

TK, already blood-boiled from watching, quickly took out his digivice.

Takuya and the other (except Kari) stared as his device glowed. "Angemon," they heard him shout to the angel digimon. "Time to digivolve." They all watched as the angel digimon quickly flew out of the water, shining with an aura of intense luminosity.

"Now!" TK shouted again. His digivice shot a beam of light, as it hurled towards Angemon, enveloping him in pure data.

"What's happening?" Zoe asked over the strong noise that the digivice resounded.

Kari walked up to her. "He using his digivice to digivolve his partner?" she answered.

Zoe looked at her. "Partner?" was all she said. She saw the girl nod, before looking back at Angemon. Though in his place now stood an even greater digimon, who resembled a priest of some form. She stared wide eyed.

"Who's that?" Takuya asked them.

"That's MagnaAngemon," TK bemused. He was still holding out his digivice.

They looked back at the battle scene, finally noticing the fear in their enemy's eyes, or at least, one of them.

"So, it seems you both have managed to digivolve into your ultimate forms now," Myotismon sneered.

The angel digimon looked at him, before averting their attention back to a stronger foe. "It seems your servant here fears us?" MagnaAngemon quipped.

The woman smiled. "As he should. He knows what he is up against. The mere acknowledgment that he hasn't fleeted from battle makes me feel so… lovely inside," she mused, while pursing her lips.

They chuckled. "If he hasn't yet, then he will now," Angewoman cried. "Celestial Arrow!" she screamed.

"Not so fast, my pretty," Lamiamon countered. "Moonlight's…!" she roared. She flowed higher into the air. A pair of bat wings extended from her back, as she began to create a large circle with hands. The circle formed an image of a moon. "Shadow!" she finished. A dark beam of light shot out from the moon, ensnaring anything within its reach.

Both MagnaAngemon and Angewoman screamed, as the dark beam hit them directly, engulfing them in its shadows.

"I shall help you, my Mistress," Myotismon implored. "Grisly—,"

"Shadow Claw," Lamimon roared. She flung her hand out, creating a large claw, which disappeared behind the darkness. The sound coming from Myotismon revealed where it had gone.

Takuya and the others watched in horror, as the claw sprung out from behind Myotismon's back, and out the other end. "No way!" they cried in unison.

Myotismon, wounded from the attack, began to dissolve into pieces of data, as the claw faded away. "Why?" was all he managed to say, before his data was absorbed by the woman.

She looked at her hand, before answering into the open air. "You were useless, sweetheart. You failed to show me your worth. So now I have made you a part of me," she smiled.

"You witch!" Zoe cried out from the group. They looked at her, in shock. "How could you do that to your own servant?" she cried again.

The woman looked at her. "It was nothing personal, sweetie. He had it coming."

She clamped her jaws tightly. She knew Myotismon was evil and that he tried to kill them; but she couldn't help but feel bad for the way he died. Though she also noticed how no digiegg was created after his data was absorbed. Something she shook from her thoughts. She figured she'd bring it up later, if they got the chance.

The woman continued to laugh. "But if you're so insistent on being next, perhaps I can arrange such an occasion," she quipped. "Dark Win—,"

"Excalibur!" MagnaAngemon cried. He shot out in front of Lamiamon, sending her hurling towards the wall, after having struck her with his Excalibur **(for some reason that sounds wrong. I tried to word it differently… but… I left it this way on purpose. I thought it sounded funnier).**

She groaned, while tossing aside a few rocks that landed on her after the crash.

"My turn," Angewoman cried. "Celestial Arrow," she cried. She bent her hand back, creating a bow of light, before sending an arrow straight for Lamiamon.

The arrow struck Lamiamon straight in the chest, penetrating deep inside. She screamed as the light poured through her innards. "This won't end here," she cried. She started to scream some more, before a dark mist began to surround her, enveloping her in its shadows.

The group of humans watched, as the shouts and screams coming from Lamiamon intensified. The next thing they knew, the tunnel began to rumble. The cave's upper walls began to tumble downwards, several of them shattering upon impact.

"What's happening?" Kari cried. She was holding her arms up, blocking a few pebbles from hitting her face.

"I- I don't know," TK replied. He too was covering his face. He looked towards the others, noticing them do the same.

"We have to get out of here," Takuya cried. "The whole place is coming apart." He began to run towards the area, safest from the rumble that ensued. Large amount of rocks continued to hurl downwards as the tunnel began to cave in on itself. The darkness around Lamiamon began to increase in size.

The others followed Takuya, as he led the way opposite of the direction they had came in. Both Gatomon and Patamon, having lost their form, quickly followed from behind.

"Where are you taking us?" TK shouted over the rumble of the cave. They had been running for several minutes without stopping.

"Out of here, for one!" Takuya shouted back. He didn't bother to stop and answer, as he kept running.

"Kari, what do we do," Gatomon asked her partner. The girl nodded back to her. "I- I don't know," she quickly answered. She kept her pace up with the others, but slowed down every now and then to catch her breath.

The cave behind them began to sink in. The rocks above the, like icicles, began to collide amongst each other, creating sharp points that hurled downwards.

"We have to hurry!" Koji shouted to them. "The cave's coming down quick!"

They all took a chance to look behind, noticing the cave-in's rapid speed of succession. They grew wide eyed. "Hurry!" Takuya shouted.

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them. They could hear shouts echoing from where they assumed to be Lamiamon's location. They continued to run, before by coming to a two-way road— one left, and one right. "Which way?" Takuya howled. He was looking both ways, ready to sprint for either one, in panic. The others were as fearful.

Koji, the only one who seemed calm, walked to the front. "I know which way," he exclaimed. They looked at him. He smiled back at them. "Trust me." He saw them continue to eye him, finally ignoring the cave-in. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to face a Takuya smiling at him.

"Okay, buddy," he said to him. "Lead the way."

He nodded back, before finally turning right. "It's this way," he shouted to them. He waved his hand, while taking the lead. They ran, following closely behind. The cave began to sink in the area where they were recently; quickly swallowing the entrance of the opening they were just in.

"Come on you guys, we have to go faster," Zoe cried. She had turned back to take a glance at the area behind, and now regretted the decision_. I hope we make it out okay,_ she thought.

"Don't you see us trying," Takuya countered.

She looked at him. He had been running beside her, never leaving her side. She didn't notice it at first, but she now realized it. He was slowing his run. She knew him better. She knew he could run faster then her if he wanted to, but yet here he was, running beside her. She smiled at him, before facing forward again.

The group continued to run, taking short stops to catch some air, before dashing off again. They kept at it, for what seemed to be hours (to them), panting heavily as they made their way into another intersect. This time it was a crossroads.

The quickly looked at the three roads: one to the left, one to the right and one directly in front of them.

"Which way now, Koji?" Takuya asked his friend.

Koji looked at three ways, trying to recall what he saw before becoming Lobomon. He closed his eyes to concentrate. The others watched and wondered why. They didn't know how Koji knew which way to go, but they figured any way was better than none. Several seconds passed, before he opened his eyes again. "This way," he shouted, while running to the area on the left. They quickly followed him.

TK and Kari carried Patamon and Gatomon on their hands. The two digimon rested, their energy spent from having fought the three dark digimon.

The cave continued to rumble, though decreasing in sound. The Digidestined took the opportunity to slow down, eventually pacing their walk, before completely stopping. They were tired from the sudden outburst, and now leaned themselves aginst the walls, resting.

"So… whe-where do we go from here?" TK panted. He was holding on to his knees fro support. He had laid down Patamon next to Gatomon. The both were sound asleep.

The others looked at him, shrugging. "It seems only Koji knows where he's going," Takuya answered. They all looked up at him. He was the only one ready to go again.

He blushed. "To be honest, I kind of know where we are," he admitted. His friends looked at him in surprise.

"Do you now?" Zoe remarked.

He nodded. "Yeah! When I got my spirit back, I could _see_ everything. The entire layout of this cave. It kept it all in this here memory," he exclaimed, while tapping his head.

She smiled at him. "Just like when I got back my spirit, and I could _hear_ everything. I wonder how Takuya's will be," she inquired.

Takuya was about to say something, but stopped when he felt a hand touch him. He closed his eyes, completely forgetting that the other two were there. He turned to find a pair of brown eyes staring at him.

"Um…," Kari began. "What "spirits" are you guys talking about?"

They looked at her. Each exchanging glances with the other. Their secret miscommunication revealed exactly what the other two were thinking; that the two new humans did not see Koji and Zoe transform into digimon.

Kari, oblivious to the exchange, continued to stare at them. "Is something the matter?" she finally asked.

They looked at her again. "Oh, uh, nothing, nothing at all," Takuya stated nervously. He was rubbing the back of his head.

She eyed him carefully.

"What he means," Zoe continued for him, "is that the spirits we were talking about. It's something we're all looking for," she partially told the truth.

TK, who had previously been busy making sure both Patamon and Gatomon were okay, now stood beside Kari. "So you guys are looking for the spirits too?" he chimed in.

The three looked at him in shock. "What do you mean?" Koji asked. He didn't it realize until then, but now that he thought about it. He wondered what the other two were doing in the Digital World; and with strange looking digivices, nonetheless.

"Well," TK began. "We were sent here by one of the celestial digimon by the name of Azulongmon. He told us to find something that had to do with spirits. What was it?" he queried. He began to snap his fingers together.

"Azulongmon?" they asked in unison. "Who's that?" Takuya continued.

The other two looked at him. "Oh, you don't know Azulongmon?" TK replied. "He's one of the four celestial digimon within the digital world, or something like that."

"Yeah, when we came back to the Digital World by his command," Kari continued for him. "That's when we learned that there were three others of his rank."

"And he told you guys to look for some spirits?" Zoe chimed in.

They nodded to her. "Yeah," TK remarked. "Although, I can't remember exactly what he said." He began to think again.

Kari looked at her friend, before turning back to face the other three. She remembered what Azulongmon had said, but she wanted to make sure TK was one to answer for them. Instead, she smiled at them, before wondering to herself, what the others were doing in the Digital World, and with _no_ digimon, nonetheless (I know… lame that I repeated that). "So how come you guys are looking for the spirits as well?" she asked them.

They blushed, each facing another direction. Takuya was the first to answer. "In all honesty, we were just sucked into the Digital World," he answered, parrying her question.

"What do you mean?" She asked in return.

"I don't really know what exactly happened. But we were in some place called Shibuya Park, when we were transported here," he finished, while pointing towards the cave.

She looked around, before turning to face him again. "And so you've been in here since?" she asked him.

He stood erect. "Ugh… uh… not really," he stammered. He felt a jab to his side, quickly looking at Koji, who gave him a quick nod. "I mean," he saved. "Well, we were in here when we heard one of those digimon characters talking about some spirits," he lied.

She eyed him carefully. "So you guys don't have digimon partners of your own then?" she asked them. She saw them nod. "That's weird. Then why would you get sent into the Digital World?"

Zoe was next to answer. "Actually, we've been to the Digital World once before," she confessed. She could see the others giving her a "what are you doing look" from the corner of her eye. Ignoring them, she continued. "Although then, we were traveling with some digimon and a few other friends," she partially told the truth again.

Kari eyed her, and was ready to say something, but was interrupted by a shout.

"Aha, I remember now!" TK screamed. He could see them all turn to face him, startled by his sudden reaction. He smiled at them. Sorry," he apologized. "I just got excited, that's all," he remarked.

Kari smiled at him. "It's okay," she stated, readily accepting his apology. The others nodded as well.

He smiled back at them, before continuing. "I don't really remember all of it," he admitted. "But I do remember him saying something along the lines of looking for someone or something belonging to the ten legendary spirits. He made it sound so important over the D-Tector and—,"

"Ah, so that's what those things are called," Koji interrupted, while pointing at the device in his hand.

He looked at him, and nodded. "Anyways," he continued, "as I was saying. He made it sound so important over the D-Tector, and then he transported us somewhere near here. We managed to find you guys after that."

Koji eyed him, before asking a question of his own. "So, this… Azulongmon," he began, "he wants you guys to find some legendary spirits for someone?" Takuya asked. He was somewhat confused by the way the boy worded it.

He nodded. "Not for someone, but belonging to someone, or something. I don't really know what they are though, to be honest. The spirits I mean."

"But you guys seem to know?" Kari chimed in.

They looked at her, growing uneasy.

"You guys said something about acquiring some spirits?" she finished.

TK looked back at them, with a questioning expression.

"Oh, that is," Takuya began.

"We managed to retrieve a spirit from one of the goons back there," Koji jumped in, while pointing towards the direction behind him. He seemed rather calm about the situation.

"Oh, really?" the two asked in unison.

He nodded back. "Yeah. I'm the one who got it back," he partially lied.

"So, what is it?" TK questioned him. He had been wondering about the mission Azulongmon had sent them on for quite sometime. He didn't know why, but the message they had received before coming to the Forest Kingdom seemed… urgent, if not, life-staking important.

Koji shied away. "Um…," this time he was at a lost for words.

"I think that's enough questions for now," Takuya interrupted. He could see them eye him, but he only smiled. "I mean… we kind of have to still get out of here," he parried.

They looked around, their gaze roaming the tunnel, before finally landing back on him. They nodded. "Okay," TK hesitantly agreed. He still wanted to know more, and the way they were acting made him suspicious, but he figured the brown haired-boy had a point. They still needed to find a way out.

Kari eyed her friend, receiving a wink, to which she smiled in return. "So we're leaving then?" she asked the group of three.

They nodded back. "Yeah. And Koji here is gonna' lead the way," Takuya remarked, while placing his hand on his friends shoulder.

Koji smirked at him, before sighing. "I suppose I have no choice then?"

He nodded back.

Koji gave one final sigh, before standing straight, readying himself to take the lead_. I mean, I don't want to be the leader again. I just don't feel like I'm up to it this time, _he suddenly remembered Takuya's words. They played through his mind several times, as he began to walk, the others following closely behind. He closed his eyes, already sensing where he was going. _What'd you mean by that, Takuya_? He thought to himself.

The others, oblivious to his worries, trudged from behind, each groaning slightly while they walked. Their legs were still sore from the cuts and scrapes they had endured from the falling rocks. TK and Kari again, held their sleeping partners on their hands.

"She's cute," Zoe remarked. She had walked up next to Kari, eyeing the cat that rested on her arms. "What's her name?"

The brown-haired girl looked at her. She smiled. "Her name's Gatomon. She's my partner digimon," she finished.

"Partner digimon," Zoe repeated to herself. "Must be nice to have a digimon as a companion, huh?" she asked her.

The girl nodded. "Always, except those few times they came to the real world. Sometimes it was a struggle—,"

"Digimon can go to the real world?" she interrupted.

Kari blinked at her several times. "Yeah," she answered. "You didn't know that?"

She nodded her head. "No, actually. I mean, when we first came to the Digital World, there was this one digimon who went rampant and wanted to go to the real world, and he almost did too. But then we managed to stop him."

Kari looked at her puzzled. "About that," she continued. "I thought you guys were just lying about it," she cried.

Zoe looked at her in shock. "And what makes you say that?' she asked coolly. She wanted to seem as un-nervous as she could.

"Well," she began, "you guys kind of did lie to me and TK about you landing here right from the get go."

Zoe could feel a stinging feeling go up her spine. She knew the lie was awful, but she wondered by how much. "So, you figured it out?" she managed to chuckle.

She nodded. "Wasn't really hard, especially when I overheard you guys talking about finding _your_ spirits," she emphasized the "your" part.

Zoe smiled at her. "I'll tell you what," she quickly thought. "I promise to tell you someday of the entire truth, but not right now. Takuya and Koji think its best not to. At least, not until we get more acquainted," she finished.

The girl smiled at her. "It's a deal," she chimed. She held out her hand, shaking hers, before letting them fall to her sides again.

They continued to talk about lighter subjects, refusing to go back to the Digital World topic, at least, ones involving how they got there and why.

In another part of the group stood a young man, who seemed to be gazing at the route ahead of him. "So, your name's Takeru?" Takuya expressed, after having been silent for a while.

The boy looked at him, before turning to face the front again. "Yeah," he answered. "Although, everyone calls me T.K.".

Takuya smiled at him. "T.K. it is," he mused.

TK smiled at him. He didn't really want to get to know him that much, but he figured he had to— if he ever wanted to get out of the cave that is. There was something edgy he felt about the other guy, which got him going. He couldn't explain it though. He didn't really mind his friends, however.

"Um… earth to TK," Takuya joked, while blocking his view with his hand.

The boy blinked several times. "Huh," was all he said.

Takuya laughed. "Wow, and they say I'm a daydreamer. You okay, buddy?" he asked him.

TK looked at him once more. "Yeah," he replied. The thoughts kept creeping into his mind. He didn't really want to start idle conversation with him. Not with the uneasiness he felt towards him.

Takuya, sensing his reserved approach, slightly backed off, but not fully quitting. "So, um…," he began. "You want to tell me more about this Azulongmon?" he asked.

He looked at him again. "Okay, sure," he hesitantly agreed. "Well, I guess he's a celestial digimon like I said. He's one of the four sovereigns of the digital world," he finished.

Takuya smiled. "You mean kind of like Seraphimon, Ophanimon and Cherubimon?" he asked.

Recognizing the names, he quickly agreed. "Yeah!" He remembered Seraphimon from when Patamon digivolved into him, as well as Cherubimon from when Willis's digimon digivolved to him. Although, he couldn't figure out who was Ophanimon, nor' did he know that they were celestial digimon as well.

Takuya smiled. It faded away quickly though, as a rush of pain came from his body. He clutched at his chest, as he struggled to breathe. Falling onto his knees, he held his hand over his heart, wheezing and panting. He felt out of loss of energy.

TK, shocked by his sudden outburst, quickly knelt down, while holding Takuya by the shoulder. 'Hey, you okay?" he asked him, his voice slightly shaky.

Takuya continued to clutch at his chest, while letting out small groans frequently. He gazed upwards to look at TK, but he could only see darkness. His vision began to blur.

"You guys," TK shouted to alert everyone. He and Takuya were the ones at the very back, so no one noticed when Takuya had his sudden attack.

The rest of them turned around quickly, growing in shock at what they saw. "Takuya," Zoe screamed. She rushed over to her friend's side, as he continued to grasp at his chest. She could hear him struggling to breath, as he let out small wheezes of air. "Takuya," she cried again. She held onto him by the shoulders, while placing him down onto the ground. "Koji," she called her friend over.

He was next to her in a flash, as they attended to their friend. TK and Kari watched from the background, looking for something, anything to help them.

Giving up, Kari ran over to where they sat. "Is there anything we can do?" Kari asked, suddenly noticing the panic in her own voice.

Zoe nodded. "I don't know," she cried. "I don't know what's wrong with him. He's never gotten this way before."

"Maybe he's having a heart attack," TK joined in. He looked at Takuya, who was beginning to claw at his own chest. He could feel his own nerves begin to tense, growing shaky. The world around him began to spin, and time seemed to slow down.

"Takuya, what's wrong. Takuya, please answer?" Zoe begged. "Please." Tears began to form in her eyes, as Takuya continued to claw at his chest. She and the others tried to stop him, but he was much stronger then they remembered. Something they couldn't figure out.

Takuya pushed them aside, while he gripped at area where his heart lay. He tried standing up, but fell back to the ground.

"Takuya, what's wrong with you?" Koji finally intervened. He ran over to aid his friend, but was pushed back again. He could feel the strength Takuya had. _How is he so strong_? He thought. _He wasn't this strong when we fought a while ago_.

TK and Kari stood back. Kari had buried her head in TK's chest, crying. Zoe who was crying as well, lay on the ground, watching as her friend struggled to move. He was convoluting, violently jerking around like a fish out of water.

"Takuya," they heard Koji shout. He seemed to be the only one with his sense still in place. "You have to fight this," they heard him shout. "You can't let it control you."

"Control?" TK asked into the air. He was on the ground, while holding Kari tightly, not wanting to let her go as she cried. "It's the darkness," he heard a voice. He quickly turned around, only to find a man dressed in purple robes standing before him. He looked up, noting the colors of his eyes. They shined with the colors of fluorescence. "What do you mean?" he asked.

The man ignored his question, and instead, walked over to where Takuya and Koji lay. "You seem to understand what is happening to your friend here," he remarked.

Stunned by the voice, Koji quickly turned. He saw a man with hair the color of purple, his face sanguine and soft. He wondered whether he was a woman at first. "Who- who are you?" he asked suddenly.

The man stood erect, everyone finally looking at him. They watched as he walked over to where Takuya lay, while he struggled to breath. He laid his hand over his body, though not touching him. Then he shouted. "Healing Wind!" the man shouted.

The others watched as a gush of wind spurted from his hands, creating a soft breeze which swept over Takuya, before finally entering through his lips. Soon afterwards, Takuya quit wheezing and now lay peacefully on the ground. Other than unconscious, he seemed to be okay.

Koji was the first to get up. "How- how'd you do that?" he asked the man. Still in shock from what happened to Takuya, he quickly shook his head to regain his senses.

Zoe, Kari and TK watched from a distance, as the man swept Takuya up with a gush of wind. The wind formed under him, creating a small cyclone.

The man smiled at him. "With the power of wind, naturally," he answered.

He watched stunned, by the man's small replies.

"Who are you?" Zoe finally spoke up.

The man looked to her, letting out a small grin. "As it wasn't evident," he spoke in a weird dialect. "I am, Brisamon*, the King of the Wind Kingdom."

* * *

Asterisk Mark: Brisa means "breeze" in Galician

* * *

**OMG! Not another cliffhanger. Eh... I actually didn't plan this one, nor' did I plan the Wind King to appear the way he did. I was originally going to make Gatomon or Patamon speak about Takuya's darkness, and go in a little more depth in this chapter about it, but then I thought it over. I mean, like, how would they know, right? So that's how the wind king appeared in this chapter, along with: there's a spoiler at the bottom. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Would love to receive some reviews on it. Also, don't forget to PM, follow and/or favorite this story fi you haven't already. I mean... come on... you're like in the 11th chapter and you still haven't? Who does that? Also, I know I said that this chapter was going to be long, but the truth is... it wasn't. Next one might be though, who knows?**

**Spoiler Alert: After the massive overhaul and story rewrite I had to do a while back, I can confidently reveal that the next chapter _will_ contain some to several romance scenes between certain characters (and not too mention, perhaps, not fully concrete yet, but an M-rated part... sort of). Also, I'm going to introduce more characters in the next chapter, as well reveal what the Wing King has to say about Takuya's darkness and more crap that Lierremon, for some odd reason, forgot to mention (yeah, right... no I just forgot to make her say those things, so I'm using this opportunity to correct them). **


	13. Premature Shadows

**I've had this chapter completed for over two days now** **and I've barley posted it. I wanted to wait, because I wanted to release a two part chapter, but that didn't work out for me , since I haven't the time now. School's about to start soon, and the second part may come a little later, than planned. Who knows? So, I'm just going ahead, and releasing this chapter prematurely. I'll try to get the other part out as soon as possible. Also, thank you everyone for the wonderful PMs I received. Hope you may enjoy this! **

* * *

Takuya, who now lay on his side, resting, let out a few whimpers due to the pain in his chest. Having initially thought he was awake the entire time, the group kept a routine watch to check on him every ten minutes. They had been doing that for the past three hours. Brisamon, who began to scout the tunnel a few minutes back, was the only one not present at the moment.

"So when are we going to leave already?" whined a bashful and headstrong Koji. He was sitting beside a blonde-haired girl, holding his hands close to the fire. The group had been sitting in front of a fire they created, to keep themselves warm from the chilly air.

The blonde-headed girl turned to look at him. "Not yet Koji," she sniped. "Not until Takuya finally wake's up."

He turned to look away, his face distraught.

"If that'll ever be soon," TK chimed. They turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Zoe asked, her voice sounding worried.

He shook his head, while eyeing the fire in front of them. A few seconds of silence passed, before he said anything. "You heard what Brismamon said," he started. He reclined backwards, using his hands to support him. "Takuya may or may not wake up for a long time," he finished.

They all turned to look back at the fire, taking in its warmth. It reminded them of their former leaders, each with a resonance to the flames that burned before them. Always strong and forceful, warm from a distance, but dangerous to the touch. They frowned.

"Well, I know he'll wake up soon," Zoe declared. They looked at her.

"Zoe," Koji began.

She nodded. 'I'm serious," she cried. "All of you may have lost your faith, but I just know he'll be okay. He's Takuya." She eyed TK and Kari, making sure they heard the next part. "You guys may not know him as well as we do," she said to them, "but Takuya is willful and strong. He may be stupid and maybe even shortsighted at times, but I know he won't give up on himself, much less, on us," she finished.

They looked at her, each giving her a soft smile. "He sounds a lot like my brother," Kari chuckled, while eyeing TK. She saw him nod.

He smiled. "Yeah, he kind of does, doesn't he?" he readily agreed.

Zoe looked at them, noting the expression on their faces. She hadn't seen it before, but now she wondered whether there were others like them, lost in the Digital World. "Hey, you guys," she spoke up, to grab their attention.

They looked at her again. "Yeah?" they asked in unison.

She looked at Koji, before turning to look at them again. "I have a personal question to ask, if you don't mind," she stated. She waited for them to answer, before she continued. It was confirmed by two nods, and wave of the hand. She contemplated with her thoughts, before speaking again. "I've been wondering," she began. "Whether, you guys have friends in the Digital World. What I mean," she quickly added, "is whether maybe they're lost like us?" she finished.

They gazed at her, nodding to each other, before answering. "We do," TK spoke for the both of them.

She frowned. "Aren't you guys worried about them?" She didn't know where she was going with the conversation, but she figured it would be helpful to get to know a little about their history, especially any details concerning the Digital World.

They nodded. "It's not like we don't miss them," Kari began. "It's just that, when we got separated from our group, we kind figured that we couldn't panic about it. I mean, it's not like this is the first time we ever been alone," she declared, while staring at TK, during the last part. She saw him nod softly.

Zoe furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait," she began, "I thought you guys said that you were both sent here by Azulongmon." She looked at them, with a confused expression.

They sighed. "Well I suppose the cats out of the bag," TK joked. He could hear a, "Hey!" coming from a sleeping Gatomon. Ignoring her, he continued. "The story is half true," he admitted.

Zoe looked at him, a bemused expression on her face. "I suppose were not the only ones holding some secrets then?" she mused.

Kari looked at her, blushing a little from embarrassment. "We meant to tell you," she started. "But, we weren't sure whether to trust you guys or not. Like you said, we still have to get to know each other," she finished.

Zoe eyed her, before nodding. "That's fair," she agreed.

"I don't think that'll work," Koji chimed in. They looked at him. "What do you mean?" he heard Kari and Zoe ask in unison. TK remained silent. He nodded. "Keeping things from each other, it's stupid. Either we trust ourselves here and now, or we allow a damn rift to come between us." He could feel their eyes continue to stare at him. He looked back at the fire, gazing at its flames. He closed his eyes to think. _I have to be strong now, just like Takuya. If I'm going to be the leader, I have to be like him,_ he thought.

"Koji?" Kari spoke up.

He opened his eyes, surprised by her calling his name. He looked at her. "Yeah?" he asked.

She walked over to him, sitting beside him, while leaning in closer to the fire. The others simply watched, including, TK. "I think you're right," she admitted, while looking at him. She saw him look at her back, before continuing. "I don't think we should keep these things to ourselves. Not unless we want to create a distance, and I know for a fact, none of us want that to happen," she added. She could feel the warmth from the fire, hit her face.

He smiled. "That's what I mean," he shied. He felt the girl come closer to him, noting her position, while eying her size. He began to blush. "Um… he began. He wondered whether it was appropriate to ask, but he did anyway. "Exactly how old are you guys?" he asked her, though he referred to the blonde as well.

She leaned back, staring at him intently. "Thirteen," she admitted, rather nonchalantly. "TK is fourteen," she finished, while pointing at her friend.

Koji chuckled slightly. "Thirteen, huh?" he repeated back coolly. "I remember when I was thirteen," he sighed. He looked back at the fire before him, his eyes growing distant.

Kari, taking that as a sign of him not wanting to continue the conversation, returned back to where TK was sitting.

Zoe, who was next to look at Takuya, quickly stood up from where she was sitting, and headed over to where he slept, leaving a perplexed Koji, and two semi-strangers to ponder.

"So, what now?" TK whispered to his friend. He eyed the boy opposite of him, trying to determine whether he was paying attention to their conversation. He could see his eyes through the fire. They seemed to glow a brilliant light, but faded soon afterwards.

"I don't know," Kari chimed, unintentionally interrupting his gaze.

He blinked several times, before looking back at her. Though he couldn't help, but wonder what he saw in Koji's eyes. He smiled at her. "Guess, we'll just have to wait for Brisamon to return, huh?" he asked her.

She nodded. "He shouldn't be long. He said he was just going to check out the cave, to make sure it was safe for the night," she finished.

He nodded back, before looking at the fire again. "Well, that's good to hear," he mused softly.

She could see his expression, noting the distance in his eyes. He seemed to be thinking about something. Not wanting to interrupt him, she stood up, and walked over to where Takuya and Zoe were. "Hey," she softly called to the girl, while giving a weak smile.

Zoe turned around. "Oh, hey," she replied weakly.

"I just came to check on you, is all," she stated. Kari could see that she had been crying again. She looked at Takuya, noticing his heavy breathing, before turning to look back at her. "He's going to be okay," she lied. She didn't know what else to say. Each word that came into her mind felt empty at the moment.

Zoe nodded her head in disagreement. "No," she whimpered. "He's not."

Kari could feel there was something hidden behind her words. She quickly knelt down next to Zoe, eyeing the girl intently. "Do you know what's wrong with him?" she asked, softly. She didn't want her to feel like she was imposing.

"Brisamon was right," she cried. "He might not wake up for a while." She rubbed her arm to her eyes, trying to wipe away the tears. "It's his stupid crest. If we just found it, none of this would have happened," she moaned.

"Crest?" Kari wondered aloud. She didn't mean for the words to slip out, but they came out quicker than she realized.

Zoe nodded her head. "He needs something called a crest, medallion or whatever," she vexed. She began to whimper, letting out a few more tears.

"You okay, Zoe?" Koji chimed in. The two girls looked up at him, startled by his sudden appearance. He chuckled. "Sorry," I didn't mean to scare you, it's just that," he began to rub the back of his head, "I kind of heard some crying," he explained.

Zoe rubbed at her eyes. "Sorry," she cried. "I'm just so worried about Takuya."

He looked over to where Takuya lay, noting his friends heavy breathing. His eyes grew distant once more. He was about to say something, but stopped when he heard a blast come from afar. "What was that?!" he screamed.

The two girls turned to look, noticing a pillar of dust begin to form in front of them. Kari quickly stood up, standing firmly on the ground. She looked over to where Gatomon was sleeping, only to find her partner fully awake. She could see the cat-digimon nod, and began to instinctively pull out her D-Tector.

The dust began to cloud over, creating a misty haze. It covered the Digidestined in its vacuum. "Kari!" TK called out to his friend. He reacted as soon as he heard the blast, and ran over to where he last saw them.

"I – I'm over here," she called back, while coughing.

He quickly made his way over to where he heard her voice. "Kari?" he called out again. He felt a hand touch his lower back. He quickly turned, to find a pair of light-brown eyes starring back at him.

"TK," Kari spoke to him, while letting go of his shirt. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry so much about me."

He smiled sheepishly. "Guess, I just wanted to make sure you're okay," he finished. He could see her smile back, before nodding. "Where's Zoe and Koji?" he asked, suddenly.

She shrugged. "They were with me just now," she remarked, while pointing to the area behind her. She could see Takuya still lying on his side, coughing. Her eyes grew wide. "TK," she called his name, while looking at him with fear.

He quickly understood what she was thinking. Takuya was already having a hard time breathing, and with the large dust-cloud, he was practically suffocating. He ran over to where he lay; placing his arm around his neck, while readying himself to pick the young man up. A few attempts later, and some hauling and pushing, and TK finally gave in, and called his friend over. "Kari, come help me over here," he shouted to her.

The young-woman, who had been busy searching for the other two, nodded her head, quickly running over to him. "What do you want me to do?" she asked him, after noticing his struggle.

"Carry him from over there," he replied, while pointing at Takuya's legs.

She did as he commanded.

"Okay, when I say three, we'll both pick him up," TK suggested. He saw her nod, while readying herself. "Okay," he began. "One… two…," he could already feel the tug. "Three," he finished, while attempting to pick Takuya up again. It proved to be futile. "Man, why is he so heavy?" TK exclaimed, while holding his breath in to heave. His arms and legs were beginning to shake, from the sheer amount of weight he was carrying.

Kari, who had been mimicking her friend, was the first to let go. She could feel her arms turn to jelly.

"Kari," TK whined, letting go of Takuya as well, once all the weight was on him. He panted slightly, before standing erect again. "Why'd you let him go?" he scolded his friend.

"It's not like I meant to," she whined. "He's too heavy for me to carry." She slammed her feet against the ground in protest.

He shoved the thought aside. "Never-mind it," he sighed. "Let's just drag him." He saw her quickly nod, but give in afterwards. "Okay," he began once more. "On three. One… two…," he stopped abruptly, after another blast was shot. He quickly turned, only to find a pair of eyes staring at him in the face.

"TK, you want me to digivolve?" Patamon asked him.

His partner must've been worried about him. He could see Gatomon next to Kari. The pillar of dust increased in size, dramatically altering the tunnel's milieu. He turned to face back at his partner smiling. "If you think you're up to it," he suggested.

The yellow pig-like creature nodded in return. "I think so," he exclaimed.

TK nodded. "Well okay then, here we go." He pulled out his digivice, noting Kari do the same. He nodded to her, before pointing the digivice at his partner. "Patamon, digivolve," he shouted. He heard Kari shout the same thing to Gatomon.

Both, Kari and TK stepped back, watching as a light engulfed their partners. It wasn't long before two angel digimon stood before them, each floating gracefully in the air.

"Angemon," TK called out to his partner, "move Takuya out of the dust-cloud," he commanded." The angel-digimon nodded, quickly flying over to where Takuya slept.

"You too Angewoman," Kari commanded. Her partner nodded as well, before heading over to where Angemon was. The two angel digimon began to lift Takuya, each struggling to carry him.

"What's in this kid," Angewoman groaned, while hauling Takuya by the legs.

Angemon nodded his head, or what looked to be a nod. "I don't know," he breathed. He was using all his force to carry the young-man. Barely managing, Angewoman and Angemon were able to move Takuya to a safer location.

"Thanks, Angemon," TK expressed to his partner. He smiled with a thumb's up in return.

"Yeah, thank you too Angewoman," Kari joined in; though their commemorations were short-lived, as another blast was heard from a distance. This time, it caused the cave to rumble.

"Not again," TK whined.

"Oh," Kari whined in succession.

The cave increased in rumble, each groan from the ground, causing the earth below them to shake.  
"What's happening?" TK shouted over the loud tremors. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and quickly turned. "Koji," he breathed.

"We have to get out of here now," the raven-haired young man commanded.

TK nodded his head. They began to run over to where Kari and Zoe were, but he stopped quickly. "Wait, what about your friend?" he shouted to catch Koji's attention.

Koji turned immediately, looking to where he was pointing. "Takuya…," he mouthed. He quickly ran over to where his friend lay, doing his best to pick him up. "TK," he shouted to the boy. "Come help me."

TK ran over to him, the girls following closely behind. They too were worried. "We won't be able to pick him up," TK declared, after finally reaching him.

Koji eyed him. "And what makes you say that?" he asked.

"Because we've already tried carrying him," Kari chimed in.

"But you guys moved him before didn't you?" Zoe joined. "I mean, he's not where we last left him," she finished.

Kari looked at her. "We didn't move him," she declared. "Both Angemon and Angewoman did. But they can't again. I don't know what's up with your friend, but for some reason, he's extremely heavy right now," she assured.

"Well, we can't just sit around and do nothing," Koji chimed. "The cave's about to start collapsing again." True to his words, the cave behind them began to cave-in, releasing a few rock and boulders into the ground.

"No," Zoe shouted. They all looked at her. She nodded her head before continuing. "Kari's right," she admitted. "We won't be able to carry him like this. We'll all need to contribute, if we want to move him," she finished. She only knew this from the first time she tried to haul him back when they were in the Wood Region. Only then he was much lighter. She figured he would only keep getting heavier, as his data corrupted more. Something she feared all to well.

The others, stunned by her sudden reaction, quickly regained their composure. "Okay, then," Koji was the first to speak. "What exactly do you suggest we do?" He looked at her intently.

She shrugged. "Well, like said. I guess we have to carry him as a team."

Koji snickered.

"What?" she retorted.

"Zoe," Kari intercepted. "I don't know whether you're thinking, but we can't carry Takuya from here, till' wherever we're going," she added, while throwing her arms up.

Zoe looked at her, ready to say something, but was interrupted by a hand to her shoulder. She turned around, staring at a pair of blue eyes.

"Zoe," TK called her name. "We can't help you friend in the condition he's in, and certainly not while this cave is about to collapse," he finished, while pointing towards the tunnel behind them.

Zoe looked at it, noticing the earth behind them begin to cave inwards, swallowing whatever lay on top. She could see the dolomites, as they crashed down, before disappearing in the sundered earth. She closed her eyes, before looking back at him. "Okay," she whimpered. "You guys can go," she stated, defeated.

They looked at her. "Zoe, we won't leave you," Koji muttered.

She nodded her head, while fighting back a few tears that wanted to form in her eyes. "I'm not leaving him," she snarled. "I won't allow your lack of loyalty… or friendship to be the reason why we couldn't save him," she sneered, while looked at Koji during the second part.

"Zo—," Koji began.

"And I can't believe that you would think of leaving him," Zoe spattered at the raven haired young man. She could feel the tears begin to well up. "He's your friend Koji," she remarked.

He looked at her, exasperated. "Well what do you think we should do then?" he retorted. "We can't carry him, and the more we stand here arguing about this, the more we lessen our chances of getting out of here alive," he barked, while pointing at Takuya, who remained unconscious.

The cave around them began to rumble, increasing in violence. They could here a shout from a distance, and possibly, as scream? Though they ignored it, their eyes locked to the other, their gaze unwilling to waver.

Zoe was the first to break the connection, turning away to cover the tears that began to slide down her face. "I don't know what's gotten into you Koji," she muttered. "I understand TK and Kari wanting to leave, since they barely know Takuya."

The two looked at them, each blushing by her remark.

"But not you," she continued. "He's your best friend, and within a few moments, you're willing to forget him," she continued to mutter under her breath.

Koji stared at her, his eyes growing distant again. "I—,"

"He's not forgetting his friend willingly," Brisamon interrupted them.

Startled by his sudden appearance they all took a step back, their stance ready for anything.

Birsamon chuckled. "No, need to be afraid, it's just me," he spoke aloud, while revealing himself from the thick smoke that previously hid him.

They sighed, each relieved that it was only the king. "You scared us there for a sec," TK uttered. He was still holding his hand over his heart, his face pale.

The king smiled, but it was short-lived. "We must leave this place quickly," he warned. "I'm afraid a familiar foe comes."

"What do you mean?" the group, excluding Zoe, asked in unison. Zoe was the only one who remained back, in refusal to leave Takuya's side.

They could hear another shout from a distance.

"There's no time to explain, we must go now!" Brisamon commanded with more force. They could sense the urgency in his tone. TK, Kari and Koji stood by Brisamon, each nodding their head. They knew what they had to do.

"Zoe," Koji was the first to address his friend. "I think Brisamon can help us take Takuya," he suggested. He looked at the king, who nodded in return.

"Young warrior," Brisamon spoke to her, while kneeling beside her. He saw her look at him, noting the tears in her eyes. "I can help your friend," he offered.

She remained motionless. "Okay," was all she manage croaked.

He smiled, before casting moving his hand gently over Takuya's body. "Floating Cyclone!" he roared. A small gust began to form under Takuya's body, lifting him high into the air. "There, now your friend will be safe," he assured.

She looked at him, while smiling softly. "Thank you," she expressed softly. Another tear began to form. She began to wipe it, but stopped when a hand held hers.

"Don't be ashamed to cry, dear warrior," the king spoke with a soft tone. "They say tears are proof of ones ability to show courage," he remarked.

The others only watched, each feeling ashamed of their previous betrayal; and no one felt it more, than a certain raven-haired boy, who stood motionless, as he finally realized what he was willing to do, only moments ago. _I'm so sorry Zoe_, he apologized silently.

"Now then," Brisamon spoke aloud, catching the gaze's of everyone. "Let us depart from this tunnel, before we find ourselves at the bottom of its pit, now shall we?" he happily remarked. They nodded, each ready to follow the king from behind.

"Oh… leaving so soooooon," a voice hissed through the pillar of dust before them.

They all turned quickly, including Brisamon. The king smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits. "So it seems we've run out of time?" he bemused.

"So, you have," the voice hissed.

The others watched intently, as a silhouette formed through the dust-cloud, watching as it approached slowly. They could see as the dust cloud began to disappear, but not before leaving behind a man in its wake. He looked to be around his early twenties, his hair blonde and short, the color of his skin tan and golden. The most remarkable feature was his eyes. They looked to be a mixture of dark green and light brown. A vertical scar was imprinted over his left eye.

"Ah, so the titan of Earth finally shows himself," Brisamon mused.

The man stared back, smiling. The scar over his eye glimmered as he grinned. "So it seemssss," he hissed in a deep, hazy voice.

"Brisamon," TK called his name, "this isn't the time to be playing who's-who," he remarked. 'We have to go now," he demanded. The earth below them began to stir, indicating that the cave was about to crumble beneath them.

"Ah, so you have noticed my pet's presencccceee," the man hissed. "He does love a good shake before devouring his food," he joked.

Brisamon quickly motioned his hands, causing the cyclone carrying Takuya to move deeper into the tunnel. He then looked at the man before them, noting his sudden interest in the brown-haired young man.

"Ah, so there is the boy whom I have been looking for," the man approved. "Well. this makes my job easier," he spoke clearly. The hiss in his voice slowly faded away.

Brisamon narrowed his eyes. "Not if I call help it, Terramon. Blade Tempest!" he screamed. His hands turned into sharp points, each releasing a gush of wind, hurling towards Terramon, each slicing though him.

Terramon groaned, as he backed away quickly, clutching at his stomach. He began to smile. "As that all you got?" he sneered.

Brisamon narrowed his eyes. "Stand back Digidestined," he comandded, while glancing at them, beofre looking back at the enemy. "I sense this fight may get dangerous," he warned.

Not wanting to argue, they all began to back away, moving closer to where Brisamon dropped Takuya off. "Should we help them?" Koji asked his friend. Zoe, purposely avoiding his gaze, nodded. He eyed her, feeling slightly hurt by her gesture.

"No," she breathed. "We can't transform into out spirit forms. We haven't regained enough energy," she whispered, so that Kari and TK wouldn't be able to hear them.

He muttered something, before looking back at TK and Kari, who seemed to be busy saying something to their partners. They were a little far off for him to hear. He watched as the angel digimon nodded to them, before heading over to where Brisamon and Terramon were battling it out. "Hey," he remarked, as they ran over to him. "So, they going to help the king?" he asked.

They nodded. "Yeah!" they replied in unison. He smiled, before looking at the battle scene. The others mimicked him.

"Celestial Arrow!" Angewomon shouted, sending a sharp arrow towards her foe.

Terramon dodged it quickly, smiling as he did. "Oh, pretty," he mused. "How pathetically amusing," he mocked. "Want to see some real power?" he moved to the other side of the cave, jumping from ledge to side wall, as he confused his foes.

"How's he moving so fast?" Angemon asked aloud, while trying to determine where he figured Terramon would land next.

"He's using the power of Earth to teleport from distance to distance. So long as we are in his terrain, he has the advantage," Brisamon answered him, while trying to find Terramon.

The three digimon looked around frantically, searching high and low for the man-digimon. "There!" Angemon shouted. They all turned to face where he was pointing, spotting a pair of green eyes staring back at them from the ceiling of the tunnel.

"Good eyesight," Terramon mused. He had been camouflaged to the cave's inner workings. "Tectonic Blast!" he shouted. He opened his mouth, releasing a giant blast of hot air.

All, but Angewoman, managed to dodge the attack. She went flying through the cave, before slamming against a nearby wall.

"Angewoman!" Kari screamed for her partner. She was holding out her digivice, tightening her grip around it. The others only stared, watching as the battle unfolded quickly.

"Oh, one down, two to go," Terramon joked.

"It won't be so easy," Angemon roared. "Hand of Fate, arh!" he screamed. A shot of energy blasted from his hand, quickly hurling towards the Earth titan.

"Oh, oopsy, missed me," Terramon sniped, while sticking his tongue out. He had moved to the other side of the cave quickly, using the powers of Earth to shorten the distance. "My turn," he roared. "Stone Crusher!" He screamed. He moved his hands upwards, creating a semi-circle, before sending a strong gust blasting towards them.

Angemon looked below him, as the ground began to rumble. "Angemon, move away from there," he heard Brisamon shout, but before he could move, he felt a large boulder jab him hard in the back. He fell to the ground, clutching at his side. Though it was momentarily, before two large boulders rose from the ground, crushing him instantaneously. "OHHHHHHH!" Angemon screamed, after the boulders shattered, leaving him behind in its aftermath.

"Angemon!" TK screamed. He wanted to run into the scene to help his friend, but was held back by a hand to his arms. "Let me go," he shouted

"Stop you idiot," Koji remarked. He kept his grip on the boy. "You won't be able to help them by getting in the way."

TK stopped struggling, his legs collapsing. "But I have to help him," he whimpered. He could feel his body begin to shake.

Koji ignored him, only looking back at the battle scene. _It's all up to you_, he silently spoke to Brisamon.

"Well it seems it's only me and you," Terramon mused, while looking at Brisamon.

The king snarled. "Soon it shall' be you next who is out. Gatling Cyclone!' he shouted. He moved his hands to the air, spinning them quickly, causing the air before him to increase in velocity, eventually creating a large tornado. He pushed it towards the direction of Terramon, capturing him in its clutches. The Earth titan screamed as it engulfed him; though Brisamon did not wait for the attack to finish. He quickly made his way over to where the Digidestined lay. "Quick," he ordered. "We must go before the cyclone disappears." He twirled his fingers to create another cyclone, lifting Takuya up again. "Now," he commanded, while beginning to run.

"Wait, what about our digimon?" TK shouted.

The king nodded. "There is no time. We must ensure that the warrior children are safe," he demanded.

TK looked at him, flustered. "But—,"

"Doesn't feel good to leave a friend behind, now does it?" Zoe snarled.

Startled by her voice, he quickly turned to find a grim-looking Zoe. He stared at her, not knowing what to say.

"TK," Kari called him.

He quickly turned, while noting where she was pointing. He saw both Patamon and Gatomon running towards them.

Brisamon shook his head one more time, before staring at the Digidestined. "We must hurry," he repeated with force. He faced the direction Terramon was in, noticing the cyclone beginning to die down. He shook his head, before blowing a large circle from his mouth. "We'll leave through here," he remarked, as the circle he blew, began to expand. "This, will teleport us to the Wind Kingdom," he assured.

The others watched as the circle expanded, a gush of wind blowing through. They could see a small panorama of the Wind Kingdom. They looked at Brisamon, who nodded at them, before stepping through the portal. Kari and Zoe were the first to enter, followed by Koji and Takuya, who Brisamon pushed through using the airborne-cyclone.

TK stood before the portal, his eyes growing distant. _Doesn't feel good to leave a friend behind, now does it,_ Zoe's words replayed through his mind.

"Hurry, young-man," Brisamon implored.

Interrupted by his command, TK looked at him one more time, before stepping into the portal. Brisamon followed closely behind, the opening fading quickly as he vanished through its breaches.

The tornado within the cave died down, leaving behind a fuming man, whose appearance changed dramatically. He seemed to have large pieces of rocks and other minerals sticking out from his body. "It seems I may have underestimated the power of the _Imperial Ten_," he breathed.

The earth below him increased in rumble, before finally slowing down. A large echo resonated through the tunnel, before fading away. The man smiled an evil grin, his eyes glowing in serpent green. "Soon, my pet, we shall' take our reward. What's say you and I pay a vissssit to the Kingdom of the Four Winds?" he asked into the open air.

Another echo was heard through the tunnel, causing a few breaks in-between the walls. The man smiled again. "I had the ssssssame in mind," he hissed, before disappearing behind another dust-cloud.

The cave remained silent once more. Its badly damaged wall's and cracked spaces gave evidence to the battle that had taken place only moments before; though no one could have guessed what truly rested beneath its hollow floors, for soon the sound of tremor faded into nothing.

* * *

**-Digital World, Mistral Castle-Night-**

"Another cup of tea, young master," spoke a rather odd looking bird-woman.

Koji looked at the digimon, noting her feathery hands carrying a weighty set of plates and cups in her hands. "No thanks, Harpymon" he replied.. He waved at her before, looking back out window.

"Very well young master," she spoke, while bowing.

Koji waited for her to leave the room, before sighing. He continued to look out the window, peering deep into the castle's fog barrier, while watching, a few bird digimon, as they flew by. The group had arrived within the castle's inner city a few hours before. Brisamon was the one who led them into the castle, where he then offered the boys and girls, each a room within the Royal Guest's Chamber. Luckily for them, they had come to the Wind Kingdom through Brisamon's portal, since the kingdom itself was floating in the air, with many clouds concealing the city within.

"Don't try to be so uptight," TK jested, while sitting beside the raven-haired boy. He seemed to be holding something in his hands.

Koji smirked at him, before looking back out the window. "I'm not trying to be," he muttered. "It's just that…," he trailed. The same thought kept replaying in his head since they arrived in the kingdom. _He's your best friend, and within a few moments, you're willing to forget him, _he thought. He closed his eyes, trying hard to suppress the words; though the memory came rushing again, causing him to receive a cold feeling in his chest.

TK watched as Koji remained silent, already knowing all too well what may be going through his mind. The expression on his face revealed it, since it matched his own. "Koji," he finally breathed. The young-man turned to look at him, his eyes growing distant. "What Zoe said, back at the tunnel," began.

"Don't," Koji remarked. He looked back out the window, in refusal to look at TK. "I already know what you're going to say," he finished.

TK continued to look at him. A few moments passed before he mimicked the other boy's actions. He could see the canopy of the palace's lower walls, while gazing intently at a small speck that resembled a tiny blue mark. He squint his eyes to get a closer look, noticing a furry-white creature roaming the castle's outer walls. It seemed to be climbing through the castle's exterior, on a mission to reach the top. "Koji," he breathed.

The older boy looked at him. "What?" he asked in a laded tone. He was tired from the day's intensity: having received his Spirit, then the battle between LadyDevimon, Myotismon, Lamiamon, and then Terramon. He felt exhausted.

TK nodded his head. "I don't know whether it's just me, but aren't only flying digimon supposed to live up here?" he asked him.

Koji yawned, before nodding. "Yeah, what about it," he asked.

TK's face looked grim. "Well, if that's the case, then what the hell is that?" he asked, while pointing at the furry creature.

Koji quickly looked to where he was pointing, his eyes growing wide as he saw a white furry creature jumping through the rooftops. He seemed to be heading somewhere in a hurry. His eyes finally shot open, when he turned to look at TK. "We have to warn the others," was all he said, before quickly getting up.

TK looked out the window again, surprised by how fast the creature had climbed. He had squinted again, before it hit him. "Wait," he called out to Koji, before he could run out the room. "How could you see him from way up here? I had to squint, and my eyes are a 20/20 vision."

Koji shrugged. "I don't know, maybe my eyes are better than yours. Does it really matter," he questioned. He saw TK shrug. He shook his head, before opening the door into the boy's room. "Let's just go warn the others," he stated.

TK looked back out the window, before getting up himself. "What's the rush?" he asked him, while running to the door.

Koji nodded. "I think that thing may be coming after us," he finally confessed as they both made their way down the stairs.

TK stared at him, while taking a few glances to watch his steps. "How do you figure?" he asked him, suspiciously.

Koji shook his head, before opening the door into the Royal Common's Chamber. "Didn't you see where that thing was heading to?" TK nodded. Koji rolled his eyes, and then answered. "TK," he called his name. "That thing was climbing towards us. I could see it," he breathed.

TK tried to think back, while doing his best to recall the creature's sense of direction. All he could remember was the creature trying to climb a few brick walls and statues. "I still don't get it,' he admitted.

Koji rolled his eyes again. "That thing looked at me, TK," he confessed. "It seemed to be heading straight for us." He didn't wait for TK to say anything further, but rather made his way towards the girl's room.

"You can't go in there," TK warned, while trying to block Koji's way. The raven-haired young man stood slightly taller than him.

Koji pushed him aside. "I wasn't going to go in there," he exclaimed. He let out a sigh, before pounding on the girl's door. A few seconds passed, before they heard voice coming from the other side of the door. "Zoe?" Koji finally called her name, after growing impatient of waiting. He pounded on the door again.

"Jeez, Koji. What's the emergency?" TK joked, while his knees were rested on top of one of the couches.

Koji looked at him, his face distraught. He let out a breath of air, before speaking. "I don't know," he professed. The other boy looked at him in confusion. "I just got this sudden feeling after looking at that… thing," he uttered under his breath.

TK watched as Koji leaned his back to the door. He let a few moments pass, until he walked over to him. "Koj—," he began. His sentence was cut-short when he heard a scream coming from the other side of the door. He recognized it to be Kari's. "Kari," he yelled, as he quickly made his way to open the door.

Another scream was heard. Koji turned quickly, allowing TK to open the doors. He followed him by his side, the scream echoing through his head. It was Zoe's.

The two boys quickly climbed the stairs, noting the air as it became colder and more…, "Ice!" TK shouted once they reached the top of the stairs. The door that led into the girl's room was shut tight, blocked by a huge layer of ice as it trapped the doors handle's in its frozen state.

Koji eyed the ice, examining its texture. "This is no normal ice," he clarified. Another scream was heard coming from the other side of the door. It was Zoe's.

"Kari," they heard Zoe scream the other girl's name. The boy's looked at each other, before nodding. They each ran backwards, gaining some momentum, before charging at the door. The ice in the door cracked a few bits, releasing some powder onto the ground.

TK and Koji nodded. "Again," they cried in unison. They charged at the door again, causing the ice block to crack some more. After several attempts later, they were able to barricade through the door, only to find themselves in a room filled with ice and snow.

"Koji," Zoe was the first to scream.

He quickly looked up, noticing a white-furry creature standing beside her. The creature seemed to be holding Kari in one of his hands. He noticed how much the creature resembled a Yeti creature of some kind.

"Let her go," TK demanded, while picking up the nearest object he could find. He couldn't call on Patamon or Gatomon since the two digimon were recovering in the downstairs hospital wing. He only hoped someone would hear their shouts, and come to the rescue.

The creature roared, before throwing Kari aside. Luckily she landed on the bed. It then lunged towards Koji, its claws sticking out. Koji quickly moved aside, causing the creature to crash onto a nearby dresser. Its contents went flying all over the room.

"Oh, my clothes," Zoe cried, while catching whatever she could grab onto.

Koji, who stood beside her, gave her a scornful look. "Really Zoe?" he expressed. "We're battling a violent digimon, and you're worried about your clothes."

She looked at him, blushing. "I'd like to see your boxers," she retorted.

He blushed, when he realized what she meant by it. She was holding onto a pair of underwear, while doing her best to hide it. It was short-lived, however, as the creature stood up again groaning. He looked back again, noticing the creature struggling to move. "It looks like it's in pain or something," he remarked.

The creature roared again, before lunging at Koji once more. Again, it missed as Koji dodges his attack, crashing onto the wall behind them.

"Its direction is misguided, use that to your advantage" TK cried.

They looked over to where he lay, as he was trying to wake Kari up from her unconscious state. They looked back at the creature, watching as he rose after crashing. He seemed furious.

Zoe looked at Koji, who seemed to give her a nod. She knew what they had to do. She only mouthed a "you sure," before she received her confirmation. "Okay then," she cried aloud. "Time to heat things up." She extended her hand, noticing Koji do the same. A gush of wind swept from nowhere, already beginning to encircle her hand. She let it built up a little longer, before clasping hr hands together. "Execute!" she cried. "Spirit Evolution!"

TK watched as both Koji and Zoe were engulfed with a brim of light and harsh wind, respectively. He closed his eyes due to the extremity of the light coming from Koji. Once he felt the light die down, he opened them again, only to gasp at what he saw. Where Koji and Zoe once were, now stood a wolf and fairy-looking digimon. "Who- who are you guys?" he asked, suddenly.

They turned to look at him. "We've been meaning to tell you—." The monster roared, cutting Zoe short from her confession. It lunged towards them at full speed.

They moved aside quickly, causing the creature to crash near Kari and TK.

"We'll tell you later," Lobomon finally intervened. He made his way over to where the monster lay, before it could notice either TK or Kari again. "Howling Laser!" he shouted. A white beam shot out from his hand, engulfing the creature in its light. The creature roared, before reacting quickly.

"Frost Beam!" the creature cried. He opened his mouth, releasing a strong white blast from his mouth. The blast sent Lobomon flying across the room.

"So you talk, huh?" Kazemon remarked. "Well, eat this (I know…lame). Hurricane Wind!" she yelled. A strong force of wind shot out from each of her fingers, lapsing at the creature.

"Freezing Wind!" the creature cried, before Kazemon's attack could reach him. The air in the room began to increase, until finally a gush of cold air began to freeze the room, along with Zoe's attack, which had turned into small icicles; which then crashed and shattered on a nearby wall.

Kazemon groaned, as the cold wind began to freeze her wings, causing her to lose her airborne state. "It's too cold," she breathed over the freezing air.

"Zoe," Lobomon cried out her real name. He beamed at the creature, his eyes furrowing. "Lobe Kendo!" he screamed, as he pulled out twin-sabers, while charging to the monster. "Not so fast," the rapture remarked. "Frost Beam!" he roared, while sending out another blast towards Lobomon's direction.

Lobomon screamed, as the white ball hurled towards him, sending him flying again— this time out the window.

"Ugh… Koji!" TK screamed, as he watched Lobomon fly out the window.

"Koji, no," Zoe cried. She moved quickly, catching his hand before he could fall onto the ground, twenty stories below. "Koji," she breathed, while trying to pull him up.

He looked at her, his breathing increasing in rate. He could feel his arms begin to freeze from the sheer amount of cold air. "Don't let go," he managed to breathe.

She nodded. "I won't. But my hands," she cried. "My hands. They're starting to feel numb." She could feel the creature begin to move in closer, laughing in sorts, as it made its way over to them. "Not now," she cried," while closing her eyes. She kept her hold on Lobomon.

Lobomon watched as the creature, towered over a lying Kazemon, his smile open, in an evil grin. "No!" he shouted to the creature. "Don't." he commanded. He could see the creature motioning to push Zoe over the window. He closed his eyes, fearing the worst to come. But it didn't. The only sound he heard was a clang, a shout, followed by a roar, and then another shout. He quickly opened his eyes, and found his friend peering out the window. His face lighted up. "Takuya!" he yelled out.

Kazemon, with TK and Takuya's help, managed to pull in Lobomon, each panting once they were all inside. Lobomon looked up at his friend. "You're awake," was all he said.

Takuya smiled. "Yeah! After hearing all your guy's shouts, who wouldn't wake up!" he joked, while rubbing at the back of his head.

Lobomon looked around, finally noticing the creature lying down, his back-up, while holding his head. "What'd you do?" he asked his friend.

Takuya smiled. I hit him with this, he grinned while holding out a large metal bar. "Did the trick like this,' he joked, while swinging the metal pole around.

Koji was about to say something else, but was interrupted by another roar. "Oh, well it seems it only made him angrier," Lobomon remarked. He watched as the creature stood up, while still clutching his head. It roared even louder, if possible.

"Blizzard Freeze!" he shouted. He roared again, causing a large gust of wind to pick up, freezing everything in its wake.

"Ah, you guys," TK whined over the freezing air. "My body," he gasped. "It's freezing!"

The others watched as TK's body began to freeze over. They could here cracks of ice beneath them, and looked down, each growing wide eyed. "We're all freezing!" they cried in unison. They tried to move but found it worthless, and so they tried breaking the ice, but that too proved to be futile.

"What do we do?" Kazemon cried in panic. The ice held their legs fast, slowly imprisoning them in a cold hard shell of ice.

"There's nothing you can do," the creature answered for them. He began to walk over to where they stood, smiling crookedly.

"You cheat!" TK shouted to the creature.

"I am no cheat. I simply don't play fair" the monster roared. He stopped in front of Takuya. "And as for you, you'll be the first one to break," he mused. He grabbed Takuya, holding him tightly in his fist.

"AHHHHHH!" Takuya screamed as the creature tightened his grip around his waist.

"Stop it!" Kazemon and Lobomon yelled in unison.

"Please!" Kazemon followed up. "Please," she breathed again. She tried to move her hands, but the freezing air didn't allow her. She felt useless.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Takuya continued to scream, as the creature tightened his fist even more.

The others watched in horror as Takuya started to fade in-and-out, as his body began to static (**kind of like when an old TV is losing signal**), turning slightly hollow every few seconds.

"What's happening to him?" TK yelled in horror.

The other two watched, as their friend began to fade. They recognized it. There was only one other time they had seen it; four years back when Lucemon had performed Paradise Lost Punch, on both Emperorgreymon and Magnagarurumon. The same static was showing again.

"It seems your friend here will soon be no more?" the creature mused, while tightening his fist.

Takuya groaned even more, as he felt the air begin to leave his lungs. He winced at the pain, but fought to keep his eyes open. "Stop it, Tommy, please," he managed to croak through the tight grip.

Koji and Zoe, who now lost their forms, stared in shock at what Takuya said. "Tommy!" they cried unison.

The creature roared, as at Takuya.

"Stop it, Tommy!" Takuya groaned once more. He was trying to relive some of the grip that the creature had on his body.

"I am not this, Tommy, which you speak of," the creature declared. "I am Callistomon, the Dark Warrior of Ice." He tightened his grip on Takuya once more.

Takuya groaned as the pain began to increase in his body. "Tommy," he pleaded. "I know you're in there. Remember we're you friends," he remarked. He screamed as the pain increased. "Plea- ple- please Tom- my," he stuttered. "Rem… e…mber back whe… n," he struggled to breathe. "I… I was… was Burninggreymon. You… hel… helped me," he cried.

The creature roared. "Stop it," he bellowed. "It won't work," he screamed. The others watched, helplessly, while their friend tried to get through to Callistomon.

"Re… ember, Tommy," he groaned. A tear began to trickle down his face, as he pleaded to the great bear that clutched him in his claws. "Please… remember," he winced one more, before closing his eyes, falling unconscious one more. The tear trickled down his face, landing onto Callistomon's eyes.

The white bear screamed as he roared in pain. He dropped Takuya, and began to roar in pain, while clutching at his head again.

The freezing air began to fade, and the ice holding the others in place, quickly melted away. "Takuya," Koji and Zoe cried in unison. They ran over to their friend, who now lay unconscious once more, on the ground.

TK ran over to where Kari lay unconscious on the bed.

They all watched as Callistomon howled in pain, as he struggled to breathe.

"No!' he roared. "I- I won't let you overtake me," he screamed. "I'll be the one to control you from here on," he demanded. He began to tighten his grip around his own neck. "You won't be a part of this anymore!" he yelled.

The horror in their faces revealed what seem to be happening before their very eyes. Callistomon began to chastise himself, while struggling to move.

"Koji, did you see that?" Zoe remarked, while pointing at Callistomon. Her friend nodded.

"Yeah, that looked like—,"

"Tommy," Takuya groaned. They quickly looked at him, startled by his sudden consciousness.

"Takuya," Zoe cried in relief. She held onto him by the shoulder, as they watched Callistomon cry aloud. They saw as the white bear began to fade in-and-out, between the digimon form and a brown-haired young teenager.

"It really is Tommy," Koji remarked. He now stared wide-eyed at the white bear before him.

"You shall not overtake me," Callistomon cried aloud. "I shall be your new master. I will not fail His Supre—," Callistomon let out another scream, while clutching at his throat again.

"He's losing his form," Zoe remarked.

Takuya nodded. He struggled to get back up, only managing to stand halfway while leaning on Koji for support. "Something's wrong?" he posed. "I think something may be controlling Tommy," he finished.

TK and Kari, who made their way over to them a few seconds ago, stared wide-eyed at Takuya along with Zoe and Koji, in shock by his remark. "But, then who is Callistomon, then?" Kari asked.

"I can answer that one," a voice thundered.

They all looked passed a convulsing Callistomon, only to find a familiar face again. "Brisamon," they all, except Takuya, cried in unison.

The wind king walked over to the Digidestined, while never taking his eyes off of Callistomon. "There," he pointed towards the white-bear. "That form is the Warrior of Ice's corrupted form," he stated.

The Digidestined ignored Callistomon's shouts, as he continued to cry out in fear. They, instead, looked at the king in confusion.

"Now is not the time to explain. First we must save your friend," he remarked. He began to make small signs with his hands, before a purple circle, was created. "Healing Storm!" he shouted. A gush of wind blew out of the circle, before expanding and wrapping itself around the white-bear.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Callistomon roared. "I… won't… let you! NOOOOO!" he screamed again. The others watched as the white bear's data began to flow out, until only a dark mist was left behind. They could hear a familiar voice sound out from the darkness as it faded away.

"Tommy!" his friends clamored.

The young boy sat, his legs under his thighs, while he stared back, motionless. A few moments passed, before his eyes closed, and he fainted where he sat.

"Tommy!" Takuya was the first to finally react. He ran over to his young friend, while holding him in his arms. "Tommy!" he shook the boy in fear.

"He won't wake," the king remarked.

Takuya looked at him, before looking back at Tommy. "Is he—,"

"No, your friend will be fine," the king assured. "But he has gone through a lot already. His body collapsed in exhaustion. I'll send him down to the hospital wing to help him recover faster. Meanwhile, I need you all to follow me," he finished.

The others stared in confusion, as the moment passed by quickly. It wasn't until Harpymon and another blue-looking digimon carried Tommy away in a gurney, when they finally came back to their senses.

"So, you're the Wind King, huh?" they heard Takuya ask the king. They looked at Brisamon as he nodded in return. Zoe and Koji were the first to stand up. "Um… do they have to come too?" Koji asked the king, while pointing at Kari and TK.

The king nodded. "All of you must come. Besides, I am sure they would like to be reunited with a few of their friends again," he remarked.

TK and Kari stared, wide-eyed in shock. "You found them?" They asked in unison. The king nodded in return.

TK and Kari, excitingly, sped out of the room, in hurry to reunite with whoever Bisamon found. Takuya, Zoe and Koji followed closely behind, while the king himself was the last to leave the room. He looked back once more, noting as the ice faded away before finally closing the door behind him.

**-Part 1, Finished-**

* * *

**This was supposed to be a 2-part chapter, as I stated above, but I'm cancelling it, since I don't really have the time to be leisurely creating these chapters for the time being. I'll try to update whenever I can, but I hope anyone reading this, will still be able to look forward to it. I sort of hurried it along in the last part, since I felt the scenes between Tommy reuniting and the appearance of Brisamon, were too long. Anyways, I'm sorry I can't post the second part right now. I was going to make it one long chapter, but then I decided to break it, since I'm taking too long to type the next part. Please don't forget to review, PM, follow, and/or favorite. **

**SPOILER: Okay, for anyone who is like, "What the f-, what's happening with Takuya?" Brisamon, will explain it in the second part, along with everything that is happening to the Digidestined. Also, Kari and TK will finally be able to explain why they are in the Digital World. It may cause some controversy, it may not. I don't know. **


	14. Premature Shadows - Part 2

**After such a long time since my last update, I can finally present the next part into this chapter. A forewarning, I do not plan to leave these parts into... well parts. After writing the third and final (yes, I needed a third part), I will then mash up that part with this one and the previous chapter, into one chapter. I just separated them, since they were taking too long to write. I will do my best in editing them once I'm finished. Hope you may enjoy this chapter!**

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The hall was dark, with a branch of light descending down, from an upper window. The night sky illuminated the castle's interior walls, with essence from the moonlight. The narrow carpet, elongated over the marble flooring, rested neatly in its path, slowly descending down a flight of stairs.

The Digidestined walked through the halls, each minding their own group. T.K. and Kari were in the back, talking, while avoiding the others. Zoe, Takuya and Koji stood beside each other, while keeping a distance from the other two. It was only Brisamon who walked at the front, leading everyone to his royal chamber.

"So, do you guys think Tommy's going to be okay?" Takuya asked his two friends. They both stared at him, each wishing to remain silent. They were too preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Takuya looked at them, before sighing. He wondered whether they were thinking about what happened back at the tunnel. _What did happen?_ He wondered. All he could remember was collapsing in the tunnel, and then waking up in a soft bed. _Just like in the wood kingdom,_ he thought. He sighed again, before placing his arms on the back of his head, finally entering his own thoughts.

The other two Digidestined were also preoccupied with their own trivialities. Although, theirs was more open. "So, who do you think Brisamon found?" questioned a hopeful Kari. She gazed at her friend, while continuing to walk. She could see he was busy thinking about something. Sighing, she turned to face the front again, wondering about where the rest of her group could be.

"Maybe, it's Izzy or Joe," TK finally responded.

She turned too looked at him, slightly startled by his sudden response. "Oh?" she yelped. She could see the light of the moon, beginning to shine through the stained-glass windows, creating a rainbow view of the long hallway.

"You asked me who I thought it was, and I said, I think its Izzy or Joe," TK repeated. He continued to gaze forward, not even bothering to look at her.

Kari, wondering what her friend was so intently looking at, peered towards the direction he was facing, finally realizing what he was staring at. He was looking at Zoe. She continued to face the girl, before poking TK in the ribs.

He looked at her. "Yeah?" he asked, his tone a deeper level.

She sighed. "Are you thinking about what she said?" she whispered, while pointing at the blonde girl.

TK glanced over at Zoe, before facing Kari again. He nodded. "I just can't stop thinking about the moment," he admitted. He could feel Kari looking at him intently. "She was right you know," he added, while lowering his head.

She continued to gaze at him, noting the sad expression on his face. "TK," she stated his name. She patted him on the shoulders, while letting out a long breath of air. "We didn't have a choice then," she clarified. "It was either we run, or we stay to help Takuya."

"But you don't get it," he softly retorted.

She looked at him, stunned. She didn't notice she had pulled her hand away, until she felt it touching her lips. She could see his eyes growing distant again. "TK," she mumbled.

He sighed, while nodding. "I'm sorry, Kari," he apologized. "I- I just need some time to think. We'll talk about this later," he posed. He could see her nod, purposely ignoring the sad look on her face. He didn't want anyone to know their conversation. "In _private_," he finished, while emphasizing the latter. He saw her nod again. He let out another sigh, while turning to face Zoe again. _Doesn't feel good to leave a friend behind, now does it, _the words repeated in his head. I'm so sorry, Zoe," he muttered under his breath. The apology was quite enough, not even Kari could hear what he said. He continued to brood again.

Everyone, kept up the walk, until they finally came before a second flight of stairs. Only this time, they were ascending. "So, more climbing, huh?" Takuya joked, while looking up at the long flight of steps. He was the only one in a semi cheery mood, considering he was the only one consciously absent during the debacle back at the tunnel.

The others didn't laugh. "We'll be there soon," Brisamon encouraged. They all nodded, everyone following him closely from behind, while climbing to the top of the castle.

After, several minutes of climbing, and wanting to break the silence, Takuya spoke up. "Why, do Kings and Queen always have to live way on top of castles?" he joked. He could see both Zoe and Koji still preoccupied with their thoughts. Smiling, he quickly slapped Koji in the back, wanting to grab his attention. "You okay there, buddy?" he asked.

Koji looked at him, startled by his remark. He sighed. "Takuya, I don't have time to be playing stupid games," he sniped.

Takuya looked at him, blinking several times in shock. "Games?" he queried. "And what do you mean, 'you don't have time,'? We're climbing, like what, two-thousand steps?" he hyperbolized.

Koji sighed again. He could see Zoe looking at him now, from the corner of his eye. "Takuya," he began, while pausing a little to think about what to say next. He breathed a little before continuing. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

Takuya looked at him in confusion. "For what?" he asked.

"For being such a jerk to you, not just now… but, back at the tunnel as well."

Takuya could see Koji's face look grim. Wanting to cheer him up, he slapped him in the back again. "Don't worry about it, bu-ddy," he grinned, while rubbing the back of his head.

"Dammit, Takuya!" Koji shrieked, causing the others, except Brisamon, to look at him. He slightly blushed, apologizing a little, while waiting for them to turn away, before continuing. He looked at Takuya who was still busy grinning at his embarrassment. "You make things so hard sometimes," he chided.

He continued to grin. "That's what she sai—,"

"Don't," Koji muttered. "I don't play stupid games like that."

"Awe, lighten up Koji. It's not like were being watched or anything."

Koji kept his gaze at his friend, suddenly realizing his apparent happiness. He knew Takuya was one to smile a lot, but today, he seemed to be overdoing it. Curious, he asked. "How come you're smiling so much?" he questioned him.

Takuya's smile faded. "Wha?" he asked in return.

The others, overhearing their conversation, paid close attention.

"You heard me," Koji asserted. "I mean, I know you like to smile a lot, for whatever reason. But, today… I don't know. You've been doing that more than usual, even by your standards," he finished.

He looked away, his smile completely gone. Not wanting to face him, he spoke to the wall instead, while addressing him. "It's not that I want to smile a lot," he whispered. The others, unknowingly to the both of them, stepped a little closer, so as not to miss anything. "It's just that… I don't know. Lately, I've been feeling…," his voice trailed. He continued to walk up the stairs, this time peering at the steps before him.

Koji continued to gaze at him. He only listened, wanting to hear what he friend was about to reveal.

Takuya sighed, his gaze lowering. "I—,"

"We're here children," the king exclaimed, unintentionally disrupting their moment.

The others turned, each of their faces, trying to disguise the fact that they had been eavesdropping.

The door before them was shaped only enough, like a cyclone. Colors of blue and purple glimmered on the door, as the light of the moon shined on it. It revealed small designs, shaped like waves of wind. The knobs of the door were fashioned and laced with silver and purple transparent pieces of cloth. The king held one in his hand, a small array of wind flowing through, causing the door before them to open wide.

"It is in here," the king declared, "where I shall inform you all, of what you need to know," he spoke in formality. He began to walk inside, motioning the others to follow him. They quickly stepped through, as the twin doors, behind them closed, creating a large sound that echoed through the room.

The group gazed at the interior, amazed by what they saw. Large furniture pieces were levitating in the air, with streaks of wind gushing in and out from the stained-glass windows, indicating that there was another room conjoined with this one.

"Why is there windows, if it just leads to another room/" Zoe was the first to ask. The others nodded in agreement.

The king looked ate her, before continuing to walk to his throne. He crossed a large trench between the southern and northern ends of the room, the wind pushing him upwards as he glided to the other side. "The other room," he began, once he was by his throne. "Is where we must go," he concluded.

He tapped on the seat of his throne, causing it to shake and rumble, before finally backing up slowly, while making large grinding sounds as it moved.

Covering their ears, the others winced, as they watched it slide backwards. Several rumbles and shakes later, and they soon were staring at a small opening where the throne originally sat.

"Come," the kind ordered. He then began to walk down the steps, soon fading away into the darkness. The others looked at each other, nodding, before crossing to the other side.

It wasn't until only Koji and Takuya were left in the room, when the wind around them began to decrease in velocity. Koji looked at his friend, noting the sad expression on his face. "Takuya," he called his friend.

He looked up at him. "Yeah?" he asked in a lowly voice. He was trying to put on his best smile.

Noticing it, he shook his head. 'Nothing," he lied. "Let's just go, before the king gets tired of waiting for us," he remarked. He began to jog to the throne, Takuya following closely behind. They stepped through the opening, the throne soon afterwards, closing behind them, sealing them under its hidden chamber.

They looked around the room, noting its similarity to Lierremon's hidden chamber; except that this time, instead of shrubbery and foliage, the room was instead decorated with large pieces of paintings, and other artistic sorts.

"Over here," Zoe called them, while waving. They saw her and the rest of the group standing before a small purple orb, resting on a large axis piece (**the kind you find when you buy a World Globe)**.

The king waited for them to come closer, before finally discussing the situation. "Young Digidestined," the sanguine man-digimon, addressed them, once they were all present. "As you may know, the situation within the Digital World has begun to collapse." They all nodded in agreement. "The question is," he continued, "do you know why?"

The others nodded their heads in confusion; some looking at the others, while shrugging at best. Only Takuya seemed to understand. "It's because of the DATA that's beginning to vanish?" he asked.

The king nodded, causing the others to look at Takuya in shock. "How'd you know that?" TK was the first to ask.

He shrugged back. "I saw it a while back when I met a digimon named Stumpmon. There was this large field full of digimon… only," he looked at the king. "They weren't alive." The kind nodded, allowing him to continue. "Stumpmon," he voiced, while looking back at the others. "He said it's because of the creatures from the Dark Area, taking away entire DATA code," he paused, to look back at the king. "Only, I still don't get how their entire DATA is taken away," he admitted.

The king sighed. He began to glide his hands around the sphere, much like the queen. They waited for him to continue, none daring to press him for answers.

Several hand motions later, a large screen hovered over the ball, creating holographic images. They all stared in awe, as the images danced around them, before finally settling on a picture. It was the ten crests again.

"That's—," Kari and TK cried in unison.

"The ten crests of the legendary warriors," Brisamon finished for them. They stared at him in shock.

"Legendary Warriors?" Kari asked. "I don't understand, what do the crests have to do with them?"

The king looked at her, before taking a step back to face them all as a whole. "The crests," he began, "house the DATA of the ten legendary warriors, as I assume Lierremon has informed you," he stated, while looking at the older group. They nodded.

TK and Kari looked at them, before looking back at the king in confusion. "I'm sorry to butt in like this, but can someone explain what's going on?" TK questioned.

"TK," Zoe was the first to speak up. She saw him look at her, before looking at Brisamon, who nodded for her to continue. "That's how Koji and I were able to transform into digimon. We absorbed the power of the crests, which gave us the ability to digivolve."

TK gazed at her, his face still in confusion. "But… I don't get it," he started. He looked over at the holographic display. "We once use to own these crests way back when we saved the digital world. Only…,"

"We sacrificed them to defeat a powerful digimon by the name of Apocalymon," Kari intercepted.

"That was also the reason you were able to live in the Digital World before," Brisamon chimed in. They all looked at him again. He was moving the sphere around, creating a second screen. Only this time, it had four digimon standing before it.

"That's MaloMyotismon, and Apocalymon and… who are they?" TK asked, while pointing at the digimon to the far left.

"He is a digimon known as the D-Reaper," Brisamon explained, while pointing at a grim looking digimon, with a skull-like face. "He was created to eliminate unwanted or overused DATA long ago. Back when the storage unit within the _Oculus Chamber_ was much smaller."

"_Oculus Chamber_?" Kari repeated, in question. She felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"We'll tell you all the details later," Koji clarified for her. He saw her nod, before looking at the king once more.

The king nodded, continuing where he left off. "The D-Reaper is not a digimon by itself, but rather, _it_ can retain information of previously wiped DATA, which it then uses to create corrupted clones of it. A group of young children, along with the four sovereigns, stopped the chaos that ensued from the reaper's destruction."

"And what about that digimon?" Kari asked. She was pointing at the picture beside the D-Reaper.

"He," Brisamon started again, this time pointing at the digimon, farthest to the left, "is Lucemon."

They could hear a sense of distress in his voice. "Lucemon," TK and Kari uttered softly in repetition.

"The strongest digimon of these four," the king clarified. "He was the reason why most of the Digital World's DATA became corrupted long ago. He is also the reason…," the king's voice trailed. He was looking down, his head lowered, while sighing.

The others watched, waiting for him to continue. Several seconds passed, no one saying a word, before Takuya finally asked, what they were all thinking. "The reason for what?" His voice was slightly shaky.

"Lierremon did not tell you of this, for a reason. The reason why there are other digimon within this world. Digimon who can assert authority," the king began to monologue.

The others looked at him in confusion. "Brisamon, what is Lucemon responsible for?" Koji asked, his tone grim. He was standing closer to the king, unaware of it.

The king sighed. He moved his hands over the sphere once more, this time instead of the screen creating images, it created a large tree standing above ten pillars, each made of a different element.

The Digidestined awed, as the tree began to shake, its leaves falling. It kept it up, until finally only the branches were shown, each containing a small symbol imbued deep within its bark.

"There're only ten branches," Koji remarked, stating the obvious.

The king nodded. "Each represents a type of digimon," he explained.

"Types?" they all asked in unison.

"Yes. As many of you may know," the king continued, "there are many subspecies of digimon that live in the digital world. Each has its own attributes that allow it to live in a certain type of environment. For example," he started. He moved his hands over the sphere, zooming in on the pillar made of earth. "This pillar here represents the element of earth." He pointed upwards now, to the branch directly above it. "So naturally that branch represents all ground, earth and gem digimon."

The Digidestined looked up, each noting the symbol, which resembled a familiar insignia. "TK," Kari called her friend, tapping him on the shoulder.

"I know," he muttered back, while not peering away from the branch. The symbol carved deep within the bark, bore a resemblance to a small sun radiating down. "It's the Crest of Hope," he uttered, under his breath.

"Yes, that is correct young human," Brisamon remarked. "This branch represents Hope, one of the many qualities the digimon in this world strive for."

They all looked at him. "So, the crests… they represent affinities that the digimon aspire towards?" Zoe asked.

The king nodded. "They bring about life in this world. Each one of them creates a feeling that stirs us. The crests themselves are data that course through this world, allowing the world to function. In a sense—,"

"They allow digimon to feel emotion," Takuya finished for him.

The king nodded once more. "Even we, higher digimon, still don't fully understand what exactly allows them to create emotion in the first place, let alone, to even begin to comprehend what created them. But, we figure—,"

"We," Kari interrupted.

The king looked at her. "The other nine kings and queen's of the digital world, including the celestial and sovereign digimon."

"Oh," she yelped. She blushed, before nodding for him to continue.

"As I was saying," he began, while looking at the group. "We figure, that Lucemon has a role in it."

They all gazed at him in shock. "Lucemon?" the older group asked in unison. "But… I don't understand," Takuya added. "Lucemon was evil?"

"He wasn't always," the king countered. "Remember, Lucemon was once good, before he became overwhelmed with power. It ate away at him."

"Wait," Kari interjected. "Who exactly is Lucemon?" she queried.

"Kari," Zoe called her name. The younger girl looked at her. "Remember when I told you we once fought a digimon who tried to enter the real world?"

Kari paused to think back. Remembering quickly, she nodded to her. "Yeah," she replied. "You said something about a digimon who went on a rampage or something like that, back at the cave," she added.

Zoe smiled at her. "Well, that digimon was Lucemon," she voiced, while looking at the screen with the four digimon juxtaposed side-by-side. She continued to stare at it, before looking at the two younger kids. "Lucemon was… is an Angel digimon."

"And the most powerful," Brisamon interjected. The group of five turned their attention towards him again. "Even the celestial digimon: Seraphimon, Cherubimon and Ophanimon, could not stop him."

"Yeah, it was actually the help of the ten legendary warriors that stopped him the first time and second time," Koji chimed.

"Which is why we believe him to be connected to them," the king finished. They gasped.

"But—," Zoe began.

"No matter the power, Lucemon was always able to overcome any digimon," the king continued, while ignoring Zoe. "When you children," he looked at the three older teens, "first came to the digital world, you absorbed the power of the ten warriors. Thus, you became one. Although…," his voice turned grim. He was looking at the screen, his eyes growing distant. "…it wasn't always that way. Lucemon, once harbored each of the elements; his being the reason why there was any light in this world. It was soon afterwards, when he had fallen, that the elements left him. Which leads me to believe, he wasn't the one who created them."

"So, Lucemon was only—,"

"Their guardian at the time," Brisamon finished for Koji. He began to move his hands to zoom out of the branch, revealing once again, the entire tree. "The tree you see before you is not all what it seems," the king spoke cryptically. "It's only a metaphor of what truly it truly represents… a paradigm."

"You mean like a model?" TK asked.

The king nodded. "As you have seen, each branch represents one of the symbols of emotion. The pillars under it represent the ten elements. The roots…," he forced his palms onto the sphere, causing the image to zero in on the trunk of the tree. It came closer, until going inside the hollow tree. "Are the standing force that nourish it."

"But there so many tiny roots," Zoe remarked. They were all looking at the inside of the tree's trunk, noting all the fibers and vines that encircled within it. "What do they represent," she asked, while looking at the king.

"The network that gives life to the entire digital world," he answered. "But, do you see the seeds that hang on top?" he asked, while pointing to the top of the hollow tree. They all nodded. "Those, symbol the three celestial digimon. Like them, they bring forth new life, and protect the tree from withering."

"So, where are you guys," Takuya asked curiously.

"If you mean, the kings and queens of the ten regions, we are not here," he replied. He looked at him in confusion. "We are part of the pillars," he assured. "The sovereigns, being of higher domain than the three celestial digimon, are not present as well."

TK was the next to ask a question. "Where are they then?"

The king shifted his head, before zooming out of the tree's trunk. He moved his fingers, so as to expand the top of the tree, revealing a cosmic alignment of celestial bodies that roamed around the tree. "The five figures you see encircling this tree," he pointed out, "are the sovereign digimon. They are the guardians of its order and longevity. They represent the north, east, south, west and center."

"Wait," Zoe interjected. "This may seem stupid, but um… doesn't that model look a lot like the one back home?" she declared.

The others looked at it closely, their eyes growing wide. "It does," Kari gasped, whole holding a hand over her mouth.

"That's because it is," the king expressed. "There are seven planets each roaming this world. Only they are mere shadows. Much like the tree, the planets here only represent the paradigm that is this dimension."

"So what do the planets represent?" Koji queried.

"The Seven Demon Lords," he grimly asserted. The king sighed, before moving away from the sphere, his hands casting a small spell. "Gatling Wind!" he exclaimed. A tiny gust of wind swept across the room, before finally settling inside the sphere. The others watched as it shook and convulsed, spinning rapidly in the air, before resting back on the axis. They looked around to see if anything changed, but instead, found nothing.

"If anyone wonders," the king spoke in a rather happy manner, "I released the flow of energy from the sphere. Any questions you have, ask it, and it will show you," he announced.

Koji snickered. "Why didn't you just do that before?" he remarked.

The king shrugged. "I cannot say," he clarified

They all stared at him in shock, only Takuya looking at him, while furrowing his eyebrows. "Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"It doesn't matter," Brisamon exclaimed. He shook his head, before looking at the planets again. "The planets you see before you, as I have stated. They are the seven demon lords. Each was once pure and holy. Only… they have become fallen digimon."

"So, who are they?" Koji remarked. He was looking at them closely, noting every single one from his science class.

"The tiny one," the king began.

"You mean, Mercury," Zoe remarked.

"Yes. Mercury," he repeated, while eyeing her. "Is the Demon Lord of Envy, Leviamon. The one after, the yellowish one, it's the Demon Lord of Gluttony, Beelzemon. Whom' I should remark, he has turned good again."

They looked at him. "Good?" they queried in unison.

He nodded. "He has a partner… wait; he has two partners, or something to that. I'm not sure, but it was the talk of the world after his group saved the world from the D-Reaper. Anyways," he breathed. "The ones after, are as well digimon, as you know already."

"What about the Moon?" Zoe asked, while pointing at a tiny ball of white.

The king frowned. "The Moon is the digimon of Lust, Lilithmon."

"And the Sun?" Takuya began. His eyes distant. He had been looking at it from the beginning, his eyes not straying from it for even a moment. "It's—,"

"Lucemon," the king finished for him. "The Demon Lord of Pride, and once a long time ago… Humility," he breathed.

"And these digimon are all far more powerful than even the sovereigns?" TK asked.

The king nodded his head –from left to right- in clarity. "They are equal to them, except the Moon and Sun. Those two are far more powerful."

"But, if the ten pillars of the elements are lower than the rest, how come they can defeat Lucemon?" Zoe asked, what they were all thinking at the moment.

"It's because the Ten Warriors are not digimon, nor are they a part of this paradigm," he uttered. The others gaze at him, stunned by this new revelation.

"I don't understand," Takuya asked in confusion. The information they were receiving today had begun to take a toll on him. He was starting to feel drowsy once more; though he made an effort to conceal it this time. Slowing his breathes between each interval, he tightened his hands into fists, while struggling to think.

"The ten warriors," the king began, oblivious to Takuya's sudden ill-state, continued. "The Celestial Digimon, the Sovereigns, nor we king and queens, do _not _know where they stand. They're a mystery in this paragon," he remarked. 'But," he roared. "There is something I must tell you all now, while I still have the chance."

They all looked at him in confusion, once more. Only Zoe, who had been standing by Takuya, now moved a little closer to the king, while eyeing him suspiciously.

"As I have explained. The ten warriors are not digimon. Therefore, they cannot live in this world without a host. Which is why they became dormant before, under the care of the celestial digimon and why they went dormant once more after you humans left," he remarked, while pointing at Koji, Takuya, and then Zoe. "Only this time as crests."

Kari and TK, tired from standing, sat on their bottoms, each crossing their legs, while eyeing the others, until their gaze fell onto Brisamon.

Waiting for them to finish, the king remained silent, until they were comfortable again. He then looked at the older group again. "Now, that you are all here once more. You bodies have become adapted to it. Which explains why you all have been feeling… out of place, lately," he explained.

"What do you mean?" Koji and Takuya asked. Zoe remained silent. She was pursing her lips, waiting for the right moment to interrupt Brisamon.

"In contrast to the warriors, you humans are living beings, part of a foreign world, which cannot accept you partially," he remarked.

Zoe winced at that. She remembered the queen using those exact words in some form or another, back in the _Oculus Chamber_.

"So it stands, that you and the spirits are both foreign data… living beings from another dimension. This world, without each other, you cannot live within it," he uttered.

TK and Kari both stood up quickly, joining Koji and Takuya in sudden expression of bewilderment and confusion. "What do you mean?" they again, asked in unison.

The king sighed. He motioned them to sit down, already sensing they might after revealing the last bit of news. Although, before he continue, after they all sat, Zoe chimed in.

"Lierremon told me not to say this," she uttered suddenly, causing them all to give her weird looks. She ignored them. "It's… just I have to. Since the king here, might," she explained, while pointing at him. "Takuya, Koji," she looked at her two friends. "Remember when you were feeling weird in the cave, back when we were fighting Lamiamon for the first time?" She waited for them to nod, before continuing. "Well, Lierremon told me to never tell you, but…," she bit her upper lip in nervousness. She looked at Brisamon for support. He only nodded for her to continue. Sighing, she looked back at them. "Lierremon told me, that without the spirits, we cannot live in this world," she warned.

Takuya scoffed. "Yeah. Brisamon just explained that," he remarked.

She nodded her head. "No that," she countered. She could feel the pit of her stomach grow uneasy. "What I mean by, 'we cannot live,'" she began. She paused to catch a breath of air, before feeling a hand to her shoulder. She turned her head, only to find twin- lavender eyes staring back at her.

"Its okay," the king assured.

She smiled weakly, while ignoring the expression given by the others. She then turned her head to look at them again. "Takuya, this is for you mostly, because Koji has his spirit now. But… without you spirit. Lierremon, warned that you will eventually turn into a virus digimon," she muttered the last part.

"What?" Takuya asked.

She groaned. "Don't make me say it again."

"You won't have too," the king interjected. This time it was her turn to look confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Takuya," he called his name. "Without your proper data, in this case, the spirit of fire. You will eventually become corrupted. As I have stated before, you are a foreign being in this world. The DATA here cannot accept you partially; therefore it is attacking you, trying to wipe you from its server."

He quickly stood up. "What you mean?" he asked grimly. Koji, TK and Kari all followed his actions.

"He means that you will turn into a bad digimon. Just like Lucemon and all the other evil digimon in this world," Zoe intervened.

The king nodded. "It won't stop there," he stated darkly.

"Huh?" Zoe yelped.

"Takuya," the king pointed at him, while ignoring Zoe once more. "You must find your spirit quickly. Without it, your fire will slowly dwindle, before eventually burning out."

"You mean—," TK began.

"In other words, Takuya. Without your spirit, you will eventually turn into nothing. Gone, from this world, and the next," he finished.

"What?" Zoe and Takuya asked in shock.

"It means, Takuya…," the king sighed. He lowered his head, refusing to look at the young man in the eyes. "That you only have a few days before you will cease to exist… forever."

Takuya's eyes widened in horror. "Forever…," he repeated in fear.

* * *

**As I have stated, this is the second part of three, before I convert them into one chapter (which the last one will be released on). Also, if anyone can help me here, I wrote this chapter into parts (I mean every other day or so), and so if any parts may seem a little off, please PM or review on it, so I can fix it. Thanks fro reading this, and the next part will most certainly contain the Takumi, possibly Takari and maybe, those two characters from the first part's, romance. They were supposed to be part of this chapter, but like I said, I've been busy, so I'm releasing them into parts, until the day I can mash them. Sorry for any misleading. Please don't forget to review, favorite and follow. **


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